Ressurection
by instilation00
Summary: Sacrifice AU. Guilt is suck a terrible thing, expecially when you learn it was all a lie. Offered up as a prize to their enemy, Astrid learns the truth behind the mysterious Dragon Master, and of the forces that guide his actions. Can she save him from the gods tricks and end this war, or will she fall victim to the terrible truth as well. HicStrid. T for now, may move to M later.
1. Fear

First off, thank you for taking the time to read this first chapter. There is a lot I want to say but I don't want to take away from the story to much, so I'll just give some brief bullet points.

First off, this story is **NOT **means to be a copy or ripoff of other HTTYD fanfics. What I mean is that there might be a lot of similarities between my story and other popular fanfics, most notably Hitchups and Persephone. I read through both those stories before writing this one and I fell in love with there writing and story telling. Both are amazing pieces of work and you should definitly go read those before even bothing to read mine.

Second, this is my second attempt at writing a long, in depth, multichapter story. By first writing was for the Sly Cooper fandom, and i spent a lot of time writing a story called Wolf Pack. I ended up abandoning it since I wasn't happy with how I ended up writing it, but I'm hoping this time I can do things right.

Third, and maybe most importantly, please please **PLEASE **critique my work. I want this to be a story people enjoy but I also want it to be good, so please don't hold back. If you have any sujestions, tips, or just questions in general please talk to me. I promise I will answer.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of what I hope to build into something akin to the greats like Persephone and Hitchups. Again please know, **I AM NOT TRYING TO STEAL OR COPY**. I want to make this story my own thing, but I may draw heavy insperation from other fanfics and give them my own spin. Please just bear that in mind, and thank you for reading.

* * *

"She knows. Oh gods she knows. We're done, we're finished. Sweet Odin in Asgard she KNOWS!"

The dragon watched his human with an unamused glare. The boy kept pacing back and forth, running his hands through his hair and waving them around.

"Okay we need to leave, we need to get away as soon as possible, but AGHH! All my stuff, I still have to pack and write a note and…AGHH we're so dead!"

Toothless let out a low grown and slumped to the ground, resting his head on his front legs. Astrid had seen him in the woods, so it was only a matter of time until she found out where they were, and then what? Well for starters she'd tell the whole village. Every Vikings who could hold a sword would be at their cove within minutes. Hiccup knew things were getting worse the better he did in dragon training. The more praise he got, the more he was watched, _especially_ by Astrid.

He was going to have to fight a Monstrous Nightmare. Correction, he was going to have to _kill_ a Monstrous Nightmare. He couldn't, he wouldn't, not now, not after everything he learned. He needed to leave; they both needed to. Toothless had become his best and only friend, and he showed him that dragons were not only intelligent, but peaceful…even loving. They were leaving, and they were leaving soon. The only question was when, and _how_.

Hiccup stopped pacing and drowned his face in his hands. Then slowly, as he calmed down, a plan began to form. It was a stupid plan, one that would likely fall apart within seconds, but how worse could things really get? He knew he couldn't just disappear without another word, though in reality who would care. No one would even notice he was gone; they'd probably even be glad once they realized they didn't have to throw him somewhere safe once a raid started.

He sighed and looked over at Toothless. That dragon was his whole life now. They were bonded, they needed each other. He really shouldn't care about the rest of them but…he'd regret it if he left without doing _something._ He needed to get back to the village anyways before someone went looking for him, especiallyif Astrid came looking for him. He'd come back latter with a more thought-out plan and try and get Toothless on board. They were leaving regardless of what happened, and he knew deep down that everyone would be the better for it.

Xx-xX

The alarms sounded; the raid had begun. Astrid grabbed her axe off the wall and ran out the door screaming. She'd grown into it well, better than she thought she would. When she was younger she could easily swing it around, but five years of intense training had made her a master axe-wielder, probably the best on all of Berk. Her first target was a Gronckle. It had one sheep in its stubby claws and another in its mouth. She could see the blood that stained both farm animals; if they weren't dead now then they wouldn't survive long.

Astrid ran toward the great beast and cut straight through its front right leg. Blood spilled from both the severed limp and the dragon who now howled in pain. It dropped both sheep, their mangled bodies cracking when they hit the ground, and flew off spewing blood everywhere, including herself. Now her fires were really burning, she couldn't truly get into her dragon killing mood until she had blood on her body.

Xx-xX

In the years that passed after Hiccups death the dragon attacks slowly but steadily got worse. Sometimes there'd be less dragons but more deadly kinds, and others there would be great swarms of less lethal dragons that would grab and take anything and everything that could be seen as food, besides humans of course. If a dragon had latched onto a Vikings that man was either dead within seconds or soon plummeting to their death. A few had gotten lucking and ended up falling into the ocean, but even fewer of those actually survived.

They all expected things to get worse, but they were Vikings. They would take any challenge, no matter how bad or deadly things got. The first three years were considered normal. As the dragons began to raid more, the younger generation of Berkians learned how to fight and kill better. Astrid was the greatest, no one would deny it, not even Stoick who refused to speak to her. The twins had gotten good to, even to the point of working with one another to take down any dragons they could get their hands on. They always had the time of there lives when a raid happened, though they probably enjoyed being able to do whatever the hel they wanted rather than actually killing dragons. Fishlegs well…he did his part, more than anyone would have guessed. He'd killed a handful, nothing to brag about but more than anyone had expected from him. He rarely participated in the raids, opting to protect the women and children as they made for the safety of the great all. He was strong and brave, though he'd never admit it. Then there was Snotlout, the new chief-to-be. He was a Viking, nothing more to it, but he wanted nothing more than to prove himself worthy, especially to his father. Where the rest of them focused on getting whatever dragons they could, Snotlout always went for the biggest and baddest. Just a year ago he lopped the head off a Monstrous Nightmare with one clean stroke in front of the entire village, children included. Blood had hit almost everyone, and while he had gotten reprimanded for it, Stoick and the other leaders had been proud. He proved he had strength, which was what really counted in the Viking way of life. Now all he had to prove was that he wasn't just a mindless brute, but someone who could actually lead an entire village.

Everything changed when _he_ showed up. Nothing had been different that first night. The bells rang, Fishlegs helped people to safety, the twins went wild, Snotlout looked for the biggest dragon, and Astrid needed blood. They hadn't been more than five minutes into the raid when a sound-deafening screech was heard before one of their largest catapults cracked and fell to ruin by a purple bolt. In that instant every Vikings on Berk had a shiver of fear run down their spine, for only one creature could make that noise and do the damage that was done. A Night Fury hadn't been seen-or well, heard in five years. It was terrifying, but it alone paled in comparison to the true horror seen that night.

Though only known to be there by sound and plasma-bolt alone, the actions of the Night Fury shocked everyone. It went for there catapults and traps, but it also went for other dragons. Astrid had seen a Zippleback going for a yak, and even through she was probably the fastest runner on Berk, her speed meant nothing when _he _attacked. A single bolt sent the Zippleback tumbling backwards and falling over a cliff. The dragon had survived the blast of course, since its scales meant it was fireproof, but the blow had been enough to make the two-headed beast retreat. Astrid had been blown back by the shock way of the blast and had only been able to glimpse those green emerald eyes that swooped just feet above her; the same eyes she had seen years ago that had taken the chiefs son.

The rest of the raid only lasted a few minutes, but barely anyone was fighting by the end. One by one their catapults and traps were reduced to ash, and one by one the dragons attacking were driven away. By the time everything had settled down there was only one dragon left from the raid. A Deadly Nadder was screaming and flapping it's wings hard, unable to get free of the weighted net that held her down. Before anything could be done about the dragon, a black mass flew down from the darkened skies and let out a great roar that could be heard from all corners of the island. Everyone close by ran away before turning back to face the beast, no one daring to get near it, but soon there focus shifted from the dragon to the one _on _the dragon. Like the embodiment of death with wings, the form was shroud in the deepest black, perhaps even covered in the scales of the beast beneath it. At first it made no move, but once the winged death's scream was over, the mass shifted and planted two feet on the ground.

It was tall, taller than Astrid but less so than the normal men of Berk. It was hard to tell just how big or thick It was, but It defiantly wasn't a great brute like the rest of the Vikings. Every piece of his-of _Its_ body was draped in black, a few red streaks that ran here and there were all the features that showed. Its head wore some kind of helmet-mask mix; no skin could be seen and only two small slits broke the perfect black form. It certainly looked like a man, but no man could do what It did. No man could be what _It _was.

The demon walked toward the struggling Nadder without giving any sort of glance toward any of the Vikings. As he neared the dragon the demon raised his arm and held out an open palm toward the creature. Slowly, the dragon ceased its struggles and looked at the hand presented to it. Not that anyone noticed, but the dragon's pupils went from sharp slits to large rounds globes. All of Berk watched in awe and horror as the demon placed his hand gently on the Nadders snout and gave it a firm but gentle squeeze; a way of showing trust and safety.

Then the next most shocking thing happened. Once the dragon was calm, the demon reached to his side and withdrew a small handle before giving his wrist a good flick. The handle extended out a fair length, far enough to be recognized as a sword, but that hadn't been the most shocking part. What shocked everyone was when the blade burst into flames, illuminating both the wielder and the dragon below. Even with the added light there were still no clear features that the demon possessed; no skin, or hair, no eyes-nothing. He must have been observing his own blade, as the demon just stood there for a moment and slightly twisted the glowing sword in his wrist.

Then the third most shocking thing happened. With one quick slash, akin to that of Snotlout slicing at a dragon's head off, the demon cut through the ropes holding the captured dragon, and no sooner had the ropes been cut had the dragon flapped its wings and flew away. The entire thing only lasted less that a minute, but to everyone watching it seemed like an eternity. The demon tilted his head up and watched the dragon fly away, and as soon as it was away from the island he turned heel and walked back toward the Night Fury. In those few seconds it took for him to walk the entire village began to process all that had just happened. Small murmurs began, though nothing louder than what only two people side-by-side could hear. It was taking everyone so long to process it all, but it only took a second for Stoick to act. Just as the demon reached the dragon Stoick charged him, though it was short lived once he saw both the demon and the dragon turn to face him directly. The flaming sword was pointed at him, with the demons left hand resting on the Night Fury's brow. Seconds seemed to last hours as the two starred down one another, though Stoick couldn't see any eyes from the demon, only the beast he had with him.

No words were said, not a single sound came from the demon. The low growl of the Night Fury lessened every second, until at last the demon broke the contest held between them. He lowered his sword, and a second later the flames extinguished themselves and a small '_plop_' was barely audible. The demon then turned and threw a leg up and over the saddle that had been strapped to the Night Fury, and just as quickly as they had landed they were gone, there forms never to be seen that night again.

Xx-xX

Now was not the time to think about the past. Astrid heard a scream and a shout before a nearby turret came crashing down. She rolled out of the way as to not be crushed, though she likely wouldn't have gotten any more than a scratch had it hit her. She looked up, once again seeing those green eyes flash by before fading into darkness again. Every raid they had since his first appearance he'd show up. Countless things had been done to try and bring him down. They tried bigger nets, stronger traps. Hel one time they even burned through an entire third of their lumber supplies to try and brighten up the sky at night, but no matter what they tried they could never catch him, nevertheless even see him. When they realized they were never going to catch him, they tried to barter with him. Stoick offered gold, villagers offered their livestock and valuables, but the demon would never respond. He rarely landed, only having done so a small handful of times to free a trapped dragon, and once even for the sole intent of intimidating the village. No matter what happened he never spoke, only the growls of his Night Fury could be heard whenever he was near.

Astrid huffed and ran back toward the center of the village. Everyone was doing what they could, but the raid was dying down. A few men had a Gronckle pinned, but it quickly kicked them off before flying away with a small sheep in it's talons. Up the hill she saw her father block the spikes of a Nadder before it flew away. The raid had been short but hard, the biggest threat having been a Timberjack. It had cut down the roofs of half a-dozen houses and would have done more damage had the Dragon Master not gotten its attention. Maybe he was helping, maybe he just wanted more for himself to destroy; it didn't matter. Astrid's thoughts were pulled away as she heard screaming from behind her.

"BUDI! BUDI'S IN THERE! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!"

Astrid saw the fear-stricken woman scream at the burning home. Budi was her child, her only child. Astrid ran to go help, but the flames were to great and she couldn't even try to get close without being burned alive.

She didn't even register the sound until it was over. The beast screamed through the sky, and the roof of the home exploded in a purple glow. Not a second after it had, a black form entered from above and seconds later the front of the home burst open from within. Astrid and others around her fell back, and once she pushed herself up on her elbows her gaze met those green eyes once more. They starred at her, or past her, or just in her direction but not _at_ her. Her gaze shifted up at the Dragon Master, who was clearly looking at her, Astrid Hofferson. In that brief instance she saw something no one else had seen before: green eyes, almost identical to the dragon beneath him. The moment didn't last long, as one of the Night Fury's wings slowly lifted and a young boy came running out and into his mothers embrace. Astrid looked to the boy and his mother, her heart relieved that he was safe, but then a rush of wind hit and she looked back to see nothing but burnt wood and ash.

She cursed to herself and got to her feet. Dragons had been attacking Berk for three-hundred years, yet these last two seemed to be the worst of them all. No one knew if he had been controlling them all from the very beginning, but at this point it didn't matter. Astrid looked up at the night sky and strained to see anything, but he was gone, the _Dragon Master_ had vanished once again. This had gone on long enough, and she vowed to herself she would find a way to take him down, no matter the cost.

And she'd make sure he was alive when she took off his mask. She wanted to look into his eyes and see the same fear she and her people had felt for longer than any of them had been alive. She would have her revenge; on the Dragon Master, and on the Night Fury who killed perhaps her only true childhood friend.

Xx-xX

"_Nobody just gets as good as you do. Especially you. Start talking!"_

"_Uh-uh I um-I well um…"_

"_Are you training with someone?"_

"_Uh-wha training? I didn't um-uh…"_

"_It better not involve this!"_

"_I-uh know 'this' looks really bad but you see this is-uh…"_

_There was a crack and Astrid gasped. She went to throw Hiccup to the ground but he stepped out of her reach just in time. He was looking off deeper into the cove as Astrid gripped her axe tight and walked up to him._

"_Hiccup what in Thor's name is-"_

"_We need to go NOW."_

"_Wha-?"_

_Astrid had no time to question as hiccup grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the coves exit. For some reason she let herself be dragged along by him but kept her gaze fixed on the darker portion of the cove. She swore she saw something move and was about to rip her arm away when suddenly they stopped._

"_Oh no…"_

_Astrid turned and her heart froze. Crouching on a rock right above the exit was a large black form. Its green eyes bore slitted pupils and its mouth showed sharp white teeth. The mysterious and unholy offspring of lightning and death itself starred at both small Vikings and gave out a deep low growl. Astrid was frozen with fear, a fear she'd never experienced before. No dragon had ever scarred her, not even the great Monstrous Nightmare or the screaming Shrill. Her axe shook in her grip, but she was freed from her fear-stricken state by Hiccup slowly pushing her back._

"_Don't make any sudden moves Astrid. Just back up, slowly."_

_She didn't make any protest and did as Hiccup said, though it was more an involuntary action then a conscious decision. The dragon looked at her, then Hiccup, then back to her before jumping down. Astrid's breathing began to go rampant as she grasped her axe in both hands and readied to charge the beast. Hiccup must have sensed what she was doing since he gave her a forceful push back and made her stop in place._

"_Astrid. Don't. Move."_

_She looked down at him confused and terrified, and watched as he slowly unsheathed a small knife from his side. Her attention was brought back to the Night Fury as it snarled in anger at seeing the weapon. Then, as if to toy with its food, the black death slowly began to circle them. It was slow, but fast at the same time. One foot, then another, then the rest. It was like a wolf ready to pounce on its prey, though it made no move yet to do so._

_Astrid and Hiccup's backs hugged one another as they stood motionless and watched. The dragon circled them once, twice before Astrid found the nerve to whisper._

"_H-Hiccup! What do we-"_

"_When you see an opening, you run!"_

_Astrid's eyes widened more. What was he saying? Hiccup breathed slowly and made sure Astrid was facing the exit before Toothless stopped and starred at him. The dragon cocked its head slightly, questioning his rider. Hiccup took a deep breath and gave a shallow nod; there interaction being oblivious to Astrid. Then, before she could think or say more, Astrid felt herself getting pushed away. She stumbled a few feet and turned, only to be mortified by what she watched. Hiccup let out a pitiful yell and charged the beast; Hiccup charged a Night Fury! The dragon reeled back on its hind legs and sneered before lashing out at the small Viking. Three claws, one strike, and Hiccup fell to the ground as blood seeped from his left bicep and stained his shirt sleeve. _

_Just as quickly as it had struck was the Night Fury standing over Hiccups defenseless body. Astrid couldn't hear or understand the low whimper that came from the beast, but a second later the dragon tensed up and looked ready to devour the small boy. She couldn't watch, but she couldn't look away either, so she did the only thing she was capable of at the moment: screaming._

"_HICCUP NO!"_

_The dragon snapped its gaze onto her, and her stomach rolled over into a knot at seeing those eyes pierce her soul. She wouldn't let him die, not like this, not to this beast. She huffed through her nose, in and out, ready to meet her fate. She'd die before letting that monster kill Hiccup, and she steeled herself for the painful fate she was about to endure. Her muscles tensed, her eyes fixed on the beast, and she began her first step but almost tripped when he called out._

"_Astrid run! Run away now!"_

_The dragon hadn't paid Hiccup any attention, but a second later and it roared and reeled back again. She couldn't tell if Hiccups knife actually hurt the dragon or not, but his strike got it to back away from him. Astrid looked at the dragon, then at Hiccup, then back to the dragon then back to Hiccup. He was holding his bleeding arm with his right hand and starring at her, fear and sorrow pouring from his eyes into hers. She never thought this would be the last look she ever had of him._

"_RUN!"_

_And she did. Astrid just barely held onto her axe as she turned heel and ran. She didn't dare look back, not wanting to witness the slaughter that was about to take place. She ran despite the blood-chilling roar, and the horrible, painfilled scream that quickly came after it. She ran as tears streamed down her checks, and as the terrible silence of death filled her ringing ears. She ran and she ran until her legs refused to run anymore, and she collapsed as the villagers of Berk gasped and surrounded her. She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. She could only lie there and cry as more and more people crowded around her. All she could see was black, and two emerald eyes starring deep into her soul._

_She woke up this morning intent on finally learning what Hiccup had been up to, and tonight she would fall asleep knowing she had left him to die, and it was all her fault._

Xx-xX


	2. Hate

Anaother chapter woo! After I wrote the first I immediatly started on this one, and I really have a blast with it. Now that I'm getting into the groove of writing things are going to get more serious, at least a bit more than normal. This story will have language, violence and 'lemons' (as the kids call it) but I'm going to ease into those areas as the story progresses. Just expect a lot of serious stuff and a lot of smutty stuff in the future, with a good handful of comedy and bromance thrown in for good messure. :)

Also I welcome people to point out any grammer mistkaes I might have made. I do my best to double check before posting but someitmes I overlook things. Your keen eyes help make this story just a tad better everytime you spot a mistake. Thanks for reading.

* * *

"We can't keep this up Stoick. By the time winter comes 'round we won't have enough food ta' feed everyone."

Stoicks face was buried in his hands as he let out a grown. Last night's raid hadn't been terrible, but it hadn't been good either. There weren't any casualties but a lot of sheep were taken, and a grain silo had been reduced to ash. Gobber was right of course, they couldn't go on like this for much longer.

Stoicks council of trustees had grown in the last few years. There was still himself, Spitelout, Gobber, Biorn Hofferson, and a few other head-of-family figures. Snotlout had earned a place now that he was to be the next chief, and Fishlegs became Stoicks chief dragon expert. The twins also got a seat, though it was only due to there friendship with both Snotlout and Fishlegs. The only one who never showed was Astrid. She would have proven to be a great addition, but Stoicks refusal to even look at her left her no real place at the table.

The dragons weren't even the main problem now, it was there Master. Since his appearance things steadily got worse, in more ways then one. Not only where the raids getting bigger and harder to control, but a lack of captured dragons meant they couldn't train the younger generations to start fighting.

There weren't many of them of course. Those who could be considered the _younger_ generation were still to young to start any real training, but a few had just hit that age where they needed to learn how to kill to survive.

The raids were more frequent to, with as many as three happening within a single week. It was getting to be to much for the older adults to handle, and even the mid-aged Vikings were now having to balance between protecting themselves and others with protecting necessities like food and clothes. The problems just kept piling on top of one another, and it was enough to make even the best of chiefs go mad with stress. Dragon killing use to be fun; now it was just a burden.

Stoick forced his face out of his hands and looked over the large map. He'd been searching for the nest for years, as his father did before him and his before him. Every time he thought he'd made a breakthrough something terrible happened. There last search party had been just over six måneder, and the consequences of the hunt forced Stoick to suspend all future searches. They couldn't keep sending Vikings to their deaths while their village continually got attacked and burned.

"Where are we at with this seasons hunt?" The chiefs gruff voice was low and tired, a tone that had become all too familiar.

"The huntin' parties got a good load back with 'em." Gobber replied. "Shouldn't have to ration any if we keep them secure."

"And the grain?"

Gobber turned to Biorn who just shook his head. "After last night's raid we're down quite a'bit. If we lose another silo we're gonna hav'ta seriously start thinking about who's gitn' fed come winter."

Stoick nodded and sighed. If it wasn't for the damned Dragon Master they'd be far more secure and ready come winter. His 'dragon rescues' caused nothing but trouble for everyone.

"It's late." Stoick huffed. "We'll start repairs at first light. Try to get some sleep everyone."

They all nodded and murmured to one another as they left. Stoick stayed in his seat and pitched the brim on his nose with his fingers. He hadn't slept good in a long time…a very long time. He was jostled from his thoughts by a hand placed on his shoulder.

"Stoick…" Spitelout looked at him with a face Stoick knew all to well. It had been a whispered comment in the past, but as time went on it became a serious and viable option. Stoick sighed before looking at everyone who was leaving.

"Biorn." Astrid's father turned and met the chiefs gaze. "Come here a moment. I need to talk to you."

"Snotlout you stay to."

The young Berkian looked up at his father. He had been just about to get out of his seat, but now he just sunk back into his chair. Everyone who had been leaving turned to see what was going on, but Stoick turned them away.

"Get some sleep, all of ya. This is a personal matter."

No one liked where this was going, but no one disobeyed their chief. Minutes later and all who remained were Stoick, Snotlout, his father, and Astrid's dad. Biorn knew whatever was going to be said wasn't going to go well.

"What's this about Stoick?"

The next few hours were filled with yelling, screaming, finger pointing, accusations of betrayal, and finally silent acceptance. Snotlout listened the whole time but could never bring himself to speak up when he should have. If these were the kinds of decisions a chief was going to have to make…

Gods, what had they done.

Xx-xX

The day after a raid was always the hardest. Homes needed rebuilt; turrets needed to be raised back up. It always proved exhausting, but Astrid did what she could to help. Her father was unusual quiet all morning as they fixed the hole in the roof. Whenever she tried to talk to him he'd just give her a neutral grunt in response.

_Things must have been pretty bad at the war meeting last night_.

By mid-day they'd finished up everything they needed to. She was tired, but she needed to be alone for a couple hours. Astrid grabbed her axe on the mantel piece and headed out the door. She told her father she'd be home by sundown, but he never even looked at her as she left.

It pissed her off that she never went to the war meetings. She'd gladly stay up all night planning Berks defenses and resource allocation, but she couldn't stand to be in the same room as Stoick.

Astrid _hated_ him.

For five years all he did was look at her with distain and curse her out at every opportunity, almost like he'd done in the months leading up to Hiccups death. She knew she was to blame for his death; she just didn't expect the fucking chief to blame her to. She was still the best warrior on the island, not even Stoick would deny that…but that title meant she should have saved him.

Instead she did what Hiccup should have done. She ran, like a coward.

She spent a few hours wandering the woods of Berk. She remembered how she'd come here and train when she was upset. She remembered seeing Hiccup that first time and knowing something wasn't right. She'd tried following him twice after that but each time he would slip away. It wasn't until she'd gotten stealthier had she tracked him to that cove. The cove where he…

_The cove where she was now._

She stood in silence and looked around. Hiccup would have been twenty by now, maybe even taking over as chief so his father could retire early. He'd been clumsy, scrawny…

_And never where he should be._

Her own words cut her. He had been by no means the ideal Viking, but he'd been smart, way smarter than the rest of them. He might not have been the prodigal 'dragon killing' son his father wanted, but he would have made for a fine chief. At least, that's what she believed.

It didn't matter, nothing did anymore. Hiccup was dead and it was her fault. If she hadn't been so afraid, so weak, so sel-THOR'S HOLY SHIT!

Astrid hopped back on one foot and yelled out in pain. Her foot was on fire, literally. She hit the side of her now burning boot in an attempt to put out the fire, miraculously keeping her balance. When it was clear it wouldn't go out she quickly hopped over to the nearby pond and buried her whole leg. The water was cool and refreshing as she let out a pained moan. The burning quickly subsided but the pain still remained.

Astrid grit her teeth and pulled her leg back onto dry land. It hurt like hel to stand on, but she could walk, limp rather, back home, but first.

"What in Odin's name was that?!"

Astrid limped herself over and starred down at the ashpit. It was a campfire, or it had been several hours ago. Now it was mostly black dust, but a few hot embers still burned below the ash. Gods, who would be stupid enough to just leave a fire burning and not put it out, especially when there was water three feet away! Whoever lit this fire was going to feel the blunt end of her axe as it hit the back of their sku-

Astrid stopped and looked down. This was a fire; someone had made a fire, HERE! She suddenly realized how quiet it was around her. The sun was beginning to set, and it would be dark in less than an hour. She needed to get home soon, or else she'd get an earful all night from her mother.

Something moved out of the corner of her eye. Astrid swung her head around and looked into the dark recess of the cove where many low hanging trees shrouded the spot in darkness. She saw something move, some kind of mass with the darkness. She reached for her axe and held it steady in both hands before taking a cautious step forward. Another rustle from within the darkness, then a low growl. Astrid stood firm, but her knees nearly gave out the moment the dragon opened its eyes. Those green, emerald eyes with black slits that had ruined her entire life.

She heard a snap, then a flick of metal before spinning around and coming face to face with _him._ She barely had time to register him before his blade ignited and burst into flame before her. Astrid took a step back, but unfortunately she stepped with her burned foot and the sudden pain made her collapse. She was on her back, cringing at the pain in her foot and starring up at the black figure before her.

They starred at each other for a moment, long enough for each to look over the other before the tip of the burning sword was pointed at her. She crawled backwards as he slowly stepped forward, her breathing quickly becoming faster as the realization of what was happening hit her. She kept crawling back as he approached, then stopped suddenly when she felt something hard but…squishy behind her. Astrid craned her head up, only for her eyes to shrink and her heart to skip several beats.

The dragon starred down at her and snarled, but made no move to attack. Astrid was frozen with terror, the kind of terror that prevented any kind of thought or response to her situation. She forced herself to look back at the Dragon Master, who kept his sword pointed at her but stood still in place. This was it, she was going to die, there was no other alternative. Her life flashed before her; of her mother and father, of Stoick and the village. She remembered her first day of dragon training, the first scar she'd gotten from a Nadders spike, and the way Hiccup made the beast fall with a simple touch.

She saw Hiccup in the forge working on some new crazy contraption. She saw him being dragged away by his father after causing havoc on the village once again. She saw the great hall cheer for him and surround him when he came in to eat his dinner alone. She saw his pain-filled eyes and his bloody arm as he lay in dirt. She heard him tell her to run.

_RUN ASTRID RUN._

She had been a coward and left her friend to die, and now she was going to die just like he did: injured and scarred. Astrid closed her eyes and let out her last breath, waiting for the cold and painful pull of death to take her. She deserved it, and nothing could stop what was to come.

She waited…and waited. She would feel the dragon's teeth any second now, or feel the burning sword as it buried into her heart. She waited…was she dead already? Did it happen so fast she didn't even register it? Long agonizing seconds passed yet still she felt nothing, only the gentle breeze of the wind as it hit her face.

Slowly, as if any move she made would cause unimaginable pain, she opened her eyes. He was still there, standing in front of her with his sword aimed at her chest, yet he remained still and silent. She didn't look up, but she knew the dragon stood motionless as well. Had time stopped?

His sudden shift shook her from her trance. He lowered his sword, though kept it at the ready should he need to use it, then turned heel and took a few steps away from her. She watched him, and though it was a quick and quiet whistle it defended her hearing once it was made. Astrid felt something shift behind her and could feel the looming presence fade; the dragon had left, or at least moved away from her. She tilted her head and watched as the beast made its way to a darkened patch of earth and sit, its gaze never leaving her, though its eyes seemed to have gotten less…evil. She heard a scraping sound and turned back to see the Dragon Master lifting her axe. He turned his wrist and looked it over before fixing his gaze back on her. Astrid lay still and held her breath as he looked at her, but slowly her mind and body started to become hers again.

Once again the two starred at each other silently. Astrid couldn't begin to think what was going on in his head, but she was alive and that's all that mattered right now. Without warning her axe was thrown to her, and in a moment of pure instinct she reached out and grasped it. It took her a second to realize what happened, but he had thrown her axe to her and now she had it.

_She had her axe!_

She gave the handle a quick squeeze to make sure it was real, and a part of her anxiety thankfully disappeared when she realized it was. She looked back at him, and in that moment she understood.

_He was challenging her._

The Dragon Master stood still but ready, his sword never loosing its flame in the cool wind that swept by. She waited, trying to still her breathing before finally moving to stand. Neither dragon nor master reacted to her movements, or to the wince of pain she showed when she put weight on her bad foot. Astrid starred at the Dragon Master, then his beast, before starring back at him. She took her axe, which she had used as a crutch to stand, and gripped it in both hands once more. She breathed in her nose and out her mouth until she finally regained the ability to think.

_This is it. This is happening._

_I need to run. I need to warn the village._

_I need to fight. I need to end this._

_He's no match for me. I'm too good._

_I'm no match for him. I'm too weak._

_I need to warn them._

_I need to run._

_Run._

Astrid let out a rage-filled Viking yell and charged him. Her eyes were fill with hate, anger, sorrow, pain and determination. She'd cut him down, his dragon to, and present both their bodies to the chief before she killed him as well. She'd been given a chance to atone for her mistakes, and she would finally fulfil her vow of ending the dragon crisis once and for all. It ended here. It ended tonight.

It ended now.

Xx-xX

Astrid sat alone. She'd barely slept at all in the last two days after what happened.

She'd run in the door panting, hoping to find her parents sitting by the fire waiting for her. She had so much to tell them, how she had just fought the Dragon Master; and WON! They'd be so proud of her. She was so proud of herself. Even though he'd fled it was worth it. She proved herself strong, she wasn't weak!

_So why was Stoick in her house?_

Astrid stopped and starred at them. Her mother, Yrsa, was in tears, and had clearly been crying for hours. Her father sat slumped in his chair, a great burden clearly drowning his senses. Stoick and Astrid's eyes met, and in that instance she knew something wasn't right. She'd turned to her father and questioned him, but when he didn't respond she yelled at him to answer her. That's when Stoick had gotten up and left.

_You have until the next raid. Make sure she's ready._

That was two days ago. Her first day was spent in denial and anger. She didn't believe them, it had to be some kind of nightmare she was in. Her parents would never do something like this, not to her. When she realized this wasn't all a bad dream she lashed out, and anyone walking by could hear the pure rage and hatred she felt for her parents. She hit her father, cursed out her mother, and was dragged kicking and screaming by Stoicks men into her room and locked away until the next raid began. That night she tried punching and kicking her wait out, but the wood of her home held strong and would never relent to her attacks. She ended up passing out of the floor that night, only to wake up to the sound of wood being nailed over her window. Now the only sunlight she got was from the small cracks in the roof above her, and from the candle her mother would repeatably replace every few hours.

Her second day of isolation consisted of bargaining and depression. She begged to everyone: her parents, the village, even the gods above to be saved from this fate, but no one dared or cared enough to give her any relief. By now Stoick had informed the whole village of what was to be done, and since no one came her rescue she assumed the entire village was against her. She passed out by mid-day bawling her eyes out into her bed. This wasn't just unfair, it wasn't just cruel, it was _evil._ She had done nothing but fight her hardest for this village, and now they abandoned her as if she meant nothing to them. She likely would have stayed asleep the rest of the day and night had the bells not sounded.

When she awoke, a piece of fabric and a crown of flowers were laid at the foot of her bed. It was a robe, not to unlike a wedding gown but meant for a specific occasion. She'd heard about ancient priestesses wearing these kinds of robes when they made sacrifices to the gods, though it seemed tonight _she_ was the sacrifice. Seeing her death attire made her sink into cold acceptance of the situation.

_She was going to be sacrificed to the Dragon Master._

She was told she was to be a virgin sacrifice in order to make the Dragon Master end his assault on Berk. She remembered hearing stories about how the old tribes would sacrifice young virgins to the gods in only the most dire of situations. It seemed Stoick deemed the dragon menace one such situation. She was to be offered to him; what happened after was for the Dragon Master to decide. The best she could hope for was a quick death, but if he wanted her dead he could have done so in the cove. She wouldn't be able to fight back this time, and since he knew she could beat him in a fight he likely wouldn't be kind with her. Slavery was the most likely outcome, though not one she would go into without a fight. He would try make her his whore, something to preoccupy his mind and torment as he wished when he wished. She doubted she'd ever see Berk again, but at this point she didn't care. Her parents sold her; her village abandoned her. All her deeds and achievements in life meant nothing to them. At least she'd leave knowing none of them had really cared in the first place. Gods, was this how Hiccup had felt?

There was a knock on her door before it opened. Astrid looked at Ruffnut who just stared back. Her eyes were slightly red to show she'd been crying beforehand.

"Hey" Ruffnut said softly. Astrid turned to a wall and replied dryly. "Hey."

"I-um…wanted to say goodbye. I'm sorry it came to this."

"Thanks."

Astrid's reply was emotionless and cold. Ruffnut didn't really care about her; no one did.

"You-uh…you look, nice?"

"Are they ready?"

Astrid's dead eyes pierced Ruffnut like a blade. After Hiccups death Astrid had shut herself away from everyone. It was Ruffnut that that had finally gotten her to begin socializing again, and since then the two of them had been good friends; aside from that fact that they were only girls their age that is. Ruffnut had threatened to burn down the chief's hut if they went through with this, but one hard look from Stoick made her as submissive as anyone else who question his decision. Ruffnut sighed and nodded slowly.

"Yeah…I'll walk you out."

Astrid followed Ruffnut with a deadpanned stare. As they descended the stairs into the living area Astrid watched as her mother cried out and latched onto her arm, sobbing all the while.

"Nonono my girl-my sweet baby girl! P-Please *sob* please don't go! Don't let them take you, please! I so sorry, please. I-I can't live without you."

Astrid yanked her arm free of her mother's grasp and stared at her coldly.

"Then you should have never sold me."

Yrsa cried out and agony and dropped to her knees. Biorn walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders to comfort her. Astrid didn't look at him, and he couldn't bring himself to look at her. The Hofferson family stood in silence, aside from Yrsa's sobbing, until the front door of the home was opened wide. In a moment of pure instinct Astrid ran out the door. She wouldn't let them take her, she couldn't. Ruffnut called for her to stop but Astrid never head her.

Outside things were typical for a raid night. A few homes were on fire, Viking men were fighting off dragons, and a ring of Stoicks most trusted men encircled her front yard. She heard one yell out before another grabbed her from behind. She screamed and flailed in Spitelout's arms, but once he had her there was no escape.

"Hold her back!" Stoick boomed. "Bind her hands, quickly!"

"Son, the rope, now."

Astrid turned and saw Snotlout pull up next to his father with a coil of rope in his hands. He also must have been crying since his eyes were a deep red, or maybe that was just the glare of the nearby fires. Spitelout held her arms steady as his son tied the knots around them, his hands shaking throughout the process. Once he was finished Spitelout made sure there was no give-way by pulling Astrid's arms away from one another. She yelled out in pain at the sudden jerk before being pushed down to her knees in her own front yard.

"Stoick! There! He's here!"

A blast of purple was all that was seen before a large claw-trap splintered into a million pieces. The three dragons that had been caught beneath it gave out gladdened roars before flying away into the night. Stoick gave an annoyed grunt before grabbing a torch in each hand and waving them back-n-forth in the air.

"DRAGON MASTER!" Stoick bellowed. Astrid looked up at him with pain-filled tears running down her cheeks. The ropes bit deep into her flesh, and they would surely be bruise once, if ever, they were released. "COME DOWN. TREAT WITH ME NOW!"

Seconds passed in eerie silence before the dragon of death landed and let out a deafening scream. Every Viking around took a fear-stricken step back but remained vigilant at the appearance of the beast and its Master. Stoick glared at the masked rider; he never spoke, only…observed. Knowing he had his attention, Stoick marched over and grabbed Astrid by the arm and forced her to her feet. She gave out a pained yell as her bindings dug into her wrists even more, but Stoick couldn't care less.

"Dragon Master. You and your beasts have laid waist to our home long enough." The rider seemed to keep his focus on the chief, though no one knew for sure where his true focus lie. "I wish to call for an end to the bloodshed. You've shown no interest in gold or food or material goods, but if you truly are a man of this world then there is one thing you will have interest in."

Astrid yelped as Stoick threw her forward before the black rider. She landed hard on her knees and sobbed, never lifting her gaze to meet him, or his dragon. All of Berk watched with held breaths for what would come next.

Slowly, the black devil sunk lower to the ground, and soon after the Master of dragons swung his leg over and planted two feet on the ground. Astrid could hear him walk toward her, but she dared not look up, not even she saw his black boots in front of her. She winced and closed her eyes as her chin was cupped and slowly raised. She opened her eyes, and there she saw them again. Emerald eyes, not much unlike the dragon he rode, but duller-less vibrant. She'd seen them briefly in the last raid, and again when she had fought him in the cove, but now it didn't matter. He'd had her once already, and then she had him, and now he had her again. She knew there'd be no challenge this time; no saving grace to give her a chance to fight back. She starred into those pale green eyes that starred back at her, and for a moment she thought they seemed familiar, like from a long-lost dream or distant memory.

"She's fertile and pure. Yours to do with as you wish if only you and your dragons leave Berk in peace, forever."

The rider kept his gaze on his prize, before releasing her chin and turning toward the chief. Still he said nothing, and after a moment's glace he turned and faced his dragon; leaving Astrid behind. No sooner had he turned away did he hear yelling and a man charging.

"You will not take my daughter from me you bastard!"

The Lord of Dragons flicked his blade open and ignited it, meeting Biorn's blade as it came down to strike him. Biorn was shocked at how strong the thin rider was and was quickly subdued by a quick jab to the gut and a slice to the arm from the heated blade. Astrid's father fell back with a loud yelp. A few of the Vikings started to run to aid the downed man but were stopped by Stoicks bellows for them to yield. Astrid watched her father fall and screamed out at the rider.

"STOP! DON'T HURT HIM PLEASE. I'LL GO I WILL. PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM. **PLEASE!"**

The rider held his sword close to Biorn's chest, but looked back and stared at the terrified woman kneeling before him. She looked up at him with pleading teary eyes filled with anguish and pain. Time seemed to halt, but after a winds' minute the rider's blade extinguished and retracted into its hilt. Astrid's heart breathed a sigh of relief but then skipped a beat once she felt his hand around her. She imagined him to grab her, yank her to her feet and throw her over his dragons back. His gloved hand was soft yet firm, and he slowly and carefully helped her stand. He was far gentler than she would have ever hoped for; more than anyone had hoped for. He guided her ever so slowly toward the side of the obsidian clad dragon, and with a soft heave he lifted her up and onto the leathery saddle. Her robe was long, but with her legs parted like they were a fair amount of her legs were showing. Were the situation any different she might have been embarrassed, but all she could think about was her hurt father and the dozens of people who just stood and watched. She saw them all through tear filled eyes. Many were looking away. Those that did look showed sad and apologetic faces, all but Stoick of course. They all were there, they outnumbered and could easily overpower the dragon and its master, but none of them took any action to save her.

She felt an arm wrap around her waist and she swallowed her breath. He pushed himself right up behind her; she could feel his chest on hers and almost hear the beat of his heart. His warm breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine, and she felt his legs wrap around hers before locking into the pedals at the sides of the saddle. Once more she looked at the crowd of faces around her, then down to her injured father who looked up at her with pained and sorrowful eyes. He'd tried to save her, even after selling her like a brood mare, he rushed to save her from the Demon on Dragonback. He'd always looked after her, even when she made mistakes or made a fool of herself, he was always there the comfort her. In that final moment she knew that he loved her, but his love had not been enough to save her when she needed it most.

She didn't hear her mother's screams, or her fathers' roars. All she heard was her own terrified voice as they shot up into the night sky, leaving Berk and its inhabitants below. They kept rising, up and up into the night sky, all the while Astrid screamed her lungs out. In an instant they went from straight up to a gentle glide, with Astrid lurching forward and resting her forehead in the hard scales of the dragon. She breathed, rapidly at first to appease her aching lungs, then slowly to try and calm herself down. She felt a gentle tug as she sat back up straight, though she was to disoriented to see what was going on around her.

"Take a deep breath and hold on."

"W-What?"

Astrid didn't have time to register his voice or what he meant before she started screaming again. They were falling, straight back toward Berk faster then they had left. Astrid's screams were muffled by the riders gloved hand firmly wrapped over her mouth, enough to block most noise but gentle enough not to hurt. Whether it was due to lack of oxygen or just pure fright Astrid finally lost consciousness. Her new master chuckled to himself and held her tight as they glided over Berk's forest below. He needed to make some quick repairs before taking her back to the far-off island. He had no intent of harming her, but after his humiliating defeat just days prior he needed to get even. This gave him ample time to think of his revenge, the mischievous whispers he received only broadened his ever-growing smirk.

Xx-xX

* * *

No Hiccup isn't going to be evil...that doesn't mean he's necessarily going to be good either ^^

A quick note I want to make incase I didn't make it clear enough in the first chapter. I am NOT trying to ripoff or steal anything from other stories, case-n-point being the Virgin Sacrifice. Persephone did something very similar and I want to make it clear that I'm not just ripping off her work. I took inspiration but I have my own story and development in mind, so please don;t acuse me of stealing because that's not what I'm doing. Hope that clears up any confusing or upset idea's anyone might get ^^;


	3. Horror

What's this? Another chapter so quick? Well don;t get use to it, I had an extra day off from work so I spent my time writing. Eventually the plan is a new chapter every few days, once a week at the least.

Same as before, if you find any mistakes please let me know. I've also heard from some people they the cutting and pacing of the first two chapters was a bit hard to follow, which is half intentional and half not. I try to bring some suspence to things going on, though I realize that can be confusing. I promise to do better if I can.

Thanks for reading.

* * *

"_AAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHH!"_

'_CHING'_

_The two blades met with a violent clash. Although Astrid had put all her hate and rage into her attack, she only succeeded in pushing him back a step and was shocked he was able to hold his ground. She pulled back quickly and swung from the right, forcing him to hop a step back as the double-sided axe just barely missed his torso. Using the leverage of her swing she swung from the left and forced him back another hop. As she brought her axe from the right again her ears rung with a powerful 'KLANG' as their blades connected once more. His counter swing shook her arms and made her pull back her axe, but she was quickly back on the attack._

_The Dragon Master remained silent while Astrid grunted and yell with each strike. He stayed on the defense, preferring to bob-and-weave over blocking direct attacks. He was nimble and quick, and his strategy proves very effective against Astrid's wild and enraged attacks. Had she actually been fighting like the warrior she was the fight may have already been over._

_He blocked another powerful overhead swing, and when the opening presented itself he made a quick jab to her inner arm. The pain from the blow forced her left hand to release its death grip it had on the axe, and a quick shove backwards almost made her drop it completely. She was breathing heavily, like she did whenever a raid began, but she hadn't any blood stained on her yet. Without blood she remained unsatisfied, and that unsatisfaction drove her mad._

_A moment passed as both opponents took time to breath. Astrid was heaving like a dying bull while the Dragon Master took slow, deep breaths. She was strong, undoubtedly, but she lacked form and discipline. He spun his blade to-and-fro in front of himself before gripping the handle with two hands. Then, he lunged._

_His attacks were quick and precise, but they had little power behind them. Astrid blocked high, then to her side, then low then-GA fuck it burned! Luckily he'd hit her with the flat side of the sword, but she still sneered at the quick and sudden burn her left shoulder now housed. Astrid blocked another side swipe, then one from below, and had just enough time to meet his next attack with a swing of her own. The clash sent his arms falling back, but he used that momentum to spin his sword and bring it down hard and powerful into her axe. His sword rested between the two top hooks of each blade and began to char the wood and leather banding that held hilt and steel together. The force of his attack forced Astrid's knees to slacken and her body to slightly bend backwards. He seemed to have grown over her as he held her down, and just as panic was began to ensue something happened._

_Her expression widened at seeing those green eyes from beyond the slits in his mask. They were dull and pale, but for a brief instance she glanced an otherworldly change. In that moment they shown bright and vibrant, almost glowing before returning to their normal state. Whatever may have caused it spurred a change in her as well, and in the blink of an eye her senses returned to her. Astrid's brow narrowed, and with an almost effortless heave she threw the masked Dragon Lord off and away from her. He backed away a few feet before planting himself firm and holding his blade defensively in front of him; that had been unexpected._

_With her reflexes regained Astrid went into an aggressive stance and glared at her attacker. Her breathing was paced; slow in, slow out, and she was no longer driven by instinctual rage. A newfound determination and strength filled her heart, and the soul of a trained warrior burned bright once more. Astrid gripped her weapon and made it an extension of herself so that she and the axe moved as one, and with resolved purpose she lunged as her assailant. Her attacks were strong, yet each strike flowed into the next, forming a series of quick and deadly blows. The Dragon Master's agile moves and blocks proved effective, but were slowly dwindling as Astrid relentlessly barraged him with her charge. The winning blow came when he foolishly tried to strike at her lower half, but her fast response made his sword become hooked under the lip of an axe head. With the blade wedged Astrid spun her axe handle which jerked the sword from its wielders hands and sent it flying out and into the water beside them. With him disarmed she delivered a vigorous blow to his stomach with the pommel of her weapon and followed it up with a swift leg sweep. No sooner had he fallen on his back did Astrid plant a forceful foot down on his chest, and she would have delivered him a fatal blow had she not been shaken from her warrior's trance by a sharp and commanding whistle._

_Astrid shot her neck to the side and locked eyes with the Night Fury, which had jumped from its spot and neared her, but now stood still. Its piercing gaze slowly left hers to look at its master, its eyes seemed to grow rounder and more…concerned? Whatever silent message was conveyed by its master clearly didn't sit well with the dragon, but a few seconds later the beast slowly backed away and returned to its sitting position, glaring into her soul with a distained expression. Astrid hadn't even noticed how fast her heart was racing, but when the man beneath her squirmed she snapped back to him and pressed her axe to his neck. He went still and looked up at her. There were those eyes again, though they showed no signs of fear. Astrid frowned and pressed the blade of the axe deeper into his neck, unsure if she was even hitting skin or more scales. Her grip tensed as she watched him slowly raise his hands parallel with his head in a silent defeat, but his eyes never left her stare._

_Astrid's heart was beating slow and hard. She'd done it; she WON! She fought hard to keep her composure, though a shiver of pure ecstasy almost made her knees fall from under her. She had him pinned down and at her mercy, and all at once an intoxicating wave of memories washed over her. Every house that had burned, every sheep that had been taken, ever life lost; it all lead to this moment. Here now, where the small boy she'd secretly had a crush on met a gruesome and terrible fate, Astrid Hofferson would avenge all those who had died in the last three-hundred years of war. Before her lay the great Dragon Master, leader of all dragon kind who'd alone been responsible for every last dragon-related death and tragedy that had befallen all those who lived in the great Barbaric Archipelago, and perhaps beyond even that. He was no man, he couldn't be. He was a demon who fed off death and destruction, and Astrid would be the one to snuff him out._

_She relieved some of her pressure from his neck but made no move to relent her hold over him. The man beneath her showed no signs of resistance, though she still couldn't tell what his true expressions were. Was he scared? Was he smiling? Astrid grimaced and shifted her axe just below his mask. It was time for her to learn the truth; for the world to learn of who and what the Dragon Master really was. She gave a small nudge, and while his mask held firm, it did move, revealing the smallest sliver of human skin. She noticed his fingers curl as they tensed, but he made no move to stop her. She was beaming with pride and victory on the inside, but kept a hard and determined glare on her victim. _

_Again she gave it a nudge, followed by a slow push to reveal more. She saw skin, human skin, and stubbled hair growing beneath the chin. She lifted the mask more, her breathing quickening with each bit more she uncovered. The headpiece lay at the tip of his chin, and with one more push she'd force it off and stare at the man behind the dragon mask. Unfortunately, a swift kick to her ass crushed any hopes she had and sent her falling forward. The Dragon Master rolled away just as she was about to land on him, and he sprinted for his dragon. Astrid was momentarily dazed, but once she saw him running her blood boiled with rage and she rushed after him. By the time she was on her feet he'd already saddled his beast, and since she couldn't reach him in time she did the only thing she could do: she threw her axe. The dim sunset glimmered off the spinning blade before his gouged itself deep into the base of a large tree branch. The limb cracked and splintered, and fell on the duo just as they made their way into the sky. The rider griped his saddle and dodged as best he could, but a distinct ripping of leather could be heard as the two fled, just barely missing the full weight of the branch falling down upon them. _

_Just as soon as they had been up, they were gone, and the moment they were out of sight the woods screamed with a deafening silence. Astrid stood hunched over huffing and heaving, her bloodshot eyes glued to where the dragon and rider had been seconds ago. It took a second for the realization of their departure to him her, but once it did her skin began to crawl and she let out a death-defying screech of rage. _

_He'd gotten away! She had him and he got away! She failed, again, this time a worse failure than any she had endured before. She was meant to end it here, tonight, and she had, but she let her victory be taken from her. Astrid fell to her knees and screamed again, this time with all her passion and anger directed at herself. She WAS weak, she WAS a coward! She'd had the chance to end this war and avenge everyone, to finally avenge Hiccup's death and…and she failed._

_She failed._

Xx-xX

Astrid groaned. She felt sick, like really sick. It didn't help that she hadn't eaten in three days either. She'd refused to touch any food once she was locked in her room; she hadn't expected to live long after that. Now she regretted that choice. Mmm, smoked ham sounded really good right now.

Astrid flinched and sneered at the chill touch. A wet rag on a burn wound made for a cold and unpleasant pain. She felt the cloth press firm into her charred flesh, small droplets running down her bare arm. She tried to look over and see what it was but all she saw was black. She moaned some more and tried blinking her eyes, but her eyelashes kept sweeping on a soft mass. Her eyes were open, but it was still pitch black, then it hit her. She remembered the fires of the raid, her father laying in the dirt, her screams as they flew up and then back down.

She jerked her arms but they held firm. Her wrists were sore, but she didn't feel the same pain she had when the ropes dug into her. They were still bound behind her, and while firm she could tell it wasn't rope that held her-cloth perhaps? A piece must have been wrapped around her eyes to act as a blindfold but refused to budge when she shook her head. She flinched again and yelped when she felt the wet rag on her bare shoulder again.

"Shhh, it's okay. Try not to move so much."

Her heart stopped. He was here; he was touching her. His voice was soft and quiet, but she could sense he was right next to her. She turned her head in the direction of the voice and began to breath heavy again.

"W-What? Who-"

"Shhhhhhh, don't move. Let me finish first."

His voice was completely different from what she imaged he'd sound like. She expected a low gruff voice to match how dangerous and evil he looked, but it was far from that. Instead the voice sounded much younger, and far to calm for her liking. Trying to register this voice with the Dragon Master they all feared was hard enough on its own; what was harder was trying to figure out why it sounded so familiar. She grit her teeth and groaned in pain as a colder, jelly-type substance was gently presses and lathered over her burned skin.

"You're alright, I know it hurts. This will help heal your skin faster than normal means."

She didn't say anything as she heard a piece of fabric being ripped then tired around her shoulder. She gasped softly at feeling the smooth tips of his fingers gently hold her arm while securely tying the bandage in place. Once he finished, she shifted her shoulder to try and appease some of the pain. She felt her back press up against a hard but smooth surface and realized she was tied to a wooden post. She gave her bound wrists a short tug before hearing a small chuckle.

"I'm sure if you really tried you could break free, but I'd advise against it."

Astrid frowned but ceased her struggle. She wasn't dead yet, which meant she needed to be smart about what she did next. That didn't stop her from demanding answers from him, however.

"Who are you? Where am I? What's going on?"

Again she heard a faint laugh, and again it sounded strangely familiar.

"We can get back to who I am later. Currently you are quite far away from Berk. As for what's going to happen well…that remains to be seen."

There was a clear coyness behind his last remark. He was enjoying this, wasn't he? Astrid scrapped her teeth in anger and frowned even more.

"What are you going to do to me? Why am…why am I still alive?"

There was only silence at first, then she felt a shift as he came closer. She couldn't see him, but she knew he was kneeling next to her, his face perhaps inches from her own.

"I thought of many things to do to you." He said coldly, with a hint of glee in his voice. Her gut sank a bit, knowing what he meant by that. "But then I started to think about Toothless and what he wanted. He hasn't had a proper meal in so long. Speaking of which, here he comes now."

If he could have seen her eyes, he would have seen them shrink to the size of a pebble. Her words were stuck in her throat and her heart stopped. She could hear what she guessed were floorboards roil and creak with each heavy footstep made toward her.

"Oh hey bud, look. I got you a special treat for tonight."

Astrid went into panic mode. She knew something large and not-human was standing in front of her.

"No, nonono please. Please no please I'm begging you. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO BE EATEN. PLEASE!"

She heard him laugh again, as well as a strange warble sound she'd never heard before.

"But he's been doing so goo lately. He deserves a nice reward for all his good work."

Astrid pulled her legs in and kicked out in front of her and struggled with her bindings, all the while screaming and begging for mercy.

"PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE PLEASE! I-I'LL DO ANYTHING, **ANYTHING!** JUST PLEASE NOT THIS, ANYTHING BUT THIS!"

"Hmmm." She heard him say, loud and sarcastically. She prayed by all the gods that something, anything would save her from this fate. She then heard a finger stand and a profound "A-HA!"

"Admit I'm better than you."

"AAHH, W-What?"

"Admit I'm a better fighter than you."

"I-Okay okay. You're a better fighter than me. Please! Please don't let him eat me!"

"Haha, alright. I guess that'll do. Go get her toothless."

"W-Wha? AAAHHH-mmmrfff-gaaa what's happen-fffoo-bleeeg HELP!"

The large tongue was wet and sticky and smelt like old fish. It kept getting in her mouth every time she tried to talk, and eventually it was able to knock her blindfold free. She shook her head to try and get the beast away but he just kept lapping her face. She strained her eyes to try and see the dimly lit room around her, but the dragon's onslaught prevented her from seeing anything. She heard his familiar laugh and saw him looking down at her. He no longer wore his scaled armor. Instead he wore a dark leather outfit, with grey belts, shoulder pads and bracers strapped on for protection and warmth. A small knife was also holstered in a sheath attached to his left bracer. The only thing familiar about him was the dark mask he wore, which continued to cover all but his eyes.

"HAHAHA, he must really like you."

Tears still streamed down her face as she tried to make sense of what was happening. She kept expecting to feel a row of teeth clamp down into her neck, but all she got was a face full of Night Fury tongue. Underneath his mask the Dragon Master smiled; this was proper revenge for humiliating him. He starred down at her thinking it was the funniest think, but then he got a good look at her eyes. She wasn't having fun, she was crying; she was scared. His smile faded as he watched, and a quick whistle later made Toothless back away, still panting happily though. Astrid was curled as best she could be and breathing erratically. Her whole face and upper chest were sopping wet, and fresh tears continued to pour down her face as she cried in fear. This hadn't been funny to her. This hadn't been funny at all. Astrid shook and glanced up at her captor who looked down at her with angry eyes.

"Be quiet." What? She hadn't said anything. She tried to force a question from her throat but he cut her off. "Enough. You went too far, she's terrified. No, I don't care, now **leave**."

Astrid was confused. What was he saying? It didn't make any sense, what was happening? She kept shaking but tried to calm herself down as best she could and kept her eyes fixed on the Dragon Master. She noticed a sudden heave of his body, as if something pushed through him before his body slackened and his head hung low. He shook his head and glanced back up at her, and she could see his eyes had changed from angry to…sad? She heard him breathing louder before he quickly came close and knelt by her side. She curled herself up and closed her eyes but opened them again when he started drying her face with a dry cloth.

"I'm…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, it wasn't right. I-I wasn't trying to hurt you. I should have never let him talk me into it."

He was slow and gentle as he wiped away dragon saliva and tears. She was still so confused and scared and didn't know what to say. She could hear his heavy breathing from under his mask and felt his hands shake as he dried her. What the hel was going on? She finally calmed down a bit and relaxed her legs, but she kept her eyes on him.

"W-W-Why?"

He stopped moving and she could tell he held his breath. He wasn't meeting her gaze as he slowly resumed and let out a heavy sigh.

"It's…hard to explain, I didn't mean…I wasn't trying to scare you. I'm sorry."

He either really meant it or was really good at lying, Astrid couldn't tell which. He soon finished drying her as best he could and stood, turning away from her and to his dragon.

"Toothless go find some wood for a fire. I'll be out in a minute."

The Night Fury, Toothless, hung his head low and nudged up against his master. The rider sighed and rubbed a hand along the dragon's side and another under its chin.

"Yeah I know, I'm sorry I dragged you into this. He can get out of hand sometimes. Go on, I'll be alright."

He gave a gentle nudge and the dragon slinked away out a door. That's when Astrid noticed the room she was in. It was small, mostly empty but for a few tools and other items hanging on the walls or placed on low hanging shelves. There weren't any windows and only a single door that led out. Her study of her surroundings brought her back to the only other person in the room, who was currently looked right at her again. His stare made her feel uncomfortable, especially since she still couldn't see his face. He knelt down to her eye level again but kept his distance when her legs curled slightly.

"Look, we got off on the wrong foot."

Astrid narrowed her eyes as a bit of her fighting spirit returned to her.

"Oh, you think? I don't know what you're thinking but I didn't ask for this!"

"Yeah, I kind of got that impression when I saw them drag you out of your home screaming. Virgin sacrifice, right? What's up with that?"

Astrid frowned and looked away, trying to hold back more tears.

"Why do you care? You didn't even want me at first, you turned away. Why didn't you just leave me?"

"Tell me why they were sacrificing you and I'll tell you why I took you."

There was something gentle, almost kind in the way he spoke; he meant what he said. He wasn't being malicious or trying to trick her, but she didn't like how calm he was about it either.

"They wanted to get you to leave."

"And why did they think giving me a woman, specifically a virgin woman, would make me leave?"

Astrid swallowed hard and focused on her breathing. Her thoughts drifted to Stoick and the village, and how her parents sold her to a demon.

"They were desperate. You control the dragons, so they thought giving you something to preoccupy your time would make you leave Berk in piece."

She heard a quick, bitter scoff and turned to him. "So much for Stoick the Vast 'protecting his own.'" There was something oddly familiar with how he said it, though she still couldn't place it.

"So why you?"

Astrid straightened her back as best she could and scowled. "I just told you why."

"No, I mean _you_. Why'd they pick you to be sacrificed?"

Astrid frowned. "What? Am I not good enough to be offered as a sacrifice?"

"You beat me in a fight, while already injured. Why would they give you up after that?"

Astrid bit the inside of her cheek but kept her eyes on him.

"I didn't get a chance to tell them. After you ran, like a coward, I rushed to tell my parents what happened but…they already had others plans for me."

"That doesn't answer my question. Why'd they give up their best warrior? There had to be other virgins on Berk, younger than you even. If they were worried about the virginity part, then why didn't they pick someone younger who's never been touched before?"

Astrid's cheeks flushed red and she glared daggers at him. "You think I'm lying about my virginity?!"

"No, but I want to know why they picked _you_."

She bared her teeth. "Why do you care so much?"

"Because I do," he said gently. "Why'd they pick you. Please just tell me."

Astrid turned from his with a nasty scowl on her face. Gods he was persistent and annoying.

"The chief hated me alright. That's why."

"Why?" there was a bit of surprise in his voice.

Astrid closed her eyes and growled. "I let his son die. He never forgave me for it."

There was silence for a long time. Astrid tried not to think about that day but she had little choice now. She was able to hold back her tears, but she kept grinding her teeth together in anger. Finally, her captor spoke, quietly.

"Why would he blame you for that?"

Astrid let out another annoyed growl and bit down harder on her cheek.

"He didn't-It was my fault. A Night Fury, _your_ Night Fury, attacked us and…it cut Hiccup and I…I just-ran. I let his son die so, I guess this was his way of payback…" She felt ready to burst into tears again but remained strong. She'd already showed enough cowardness to her kidnapper; she refused to show him anymore.

Again there was a long moment of silence. Astrid hated being here, she hated having this conversation, and she hated him! He tricked her, humiliated her, stole her from her home, and now had the audacity to probe her about her past. She tried straining against her bindings again but was to tired and weak to make any progress.

"You're not to blame."

Astrid snapped her gaze to him.

"What?"

"I said, you're not to blame Astrid." His voice was strangely calm, but it was firm, commanding even.

She narrowed her eyes and curled her hands into fists. "Don't you DARE try to tell me-…wait." He said her name. She hadn't told him her name, but he said it as if he already knew it. He also seemed to know her age, and he'd known Stoicks' name and title.

"How…How do you know my name?"

He sighed, then hung his head low. Silent seconds passed before he began removing his left bracer. He unbuckled the straps and let it fall to the floor before reaching up and removing his left shoulder pad. Astrid watched in silence, completely at a loss for what was happening. Once his left arm was free of all extra apparel, he gripped the end of the leather sleeve and pulled it up his arm. His skin was whiter than she thought it'd be, and the thin hair he had on his arms was very light, almost invisible. Once he got to his elbow, he began rolling the leather back on itself to slowly relieve more. Astrid's eyes watched his progress, and then they got wide. Her gaze was fixed on the three scars that ran parallel across his bicep. The wounds hadn't been deep, but the scars showed clear on the pale skin. Astrid couldn't take her eyes off them, because she'd seen that wound before, when it had been fresh. Her mind told her the answer she sought, but she ignored it; she denied it. It wasn't possible, it couldn't possibly be the same wound. When she finally decided to look back to his eyes he'd just finished unstrapping the back of his helmet, and when he pulled it off she gasped.

Five years had changed him, but it was still him. His face was taller and thinner, his chin was less round and cubby and more pointed and shaped, with regularly trimmed bristles covering his lower jawline. His eyes were clearer and more familiar now, but they showed years of growth and experience where there had been nothing before. His face was still peppered with freckles, but they were less vibrant and blended with his skin much better than in the past. He looked so different yet so much the same as she remembered him. His face had haunted her for years; the boy whom she'd left to die alone and scared. Now he knelt before her very much alive and very much real, still bearing the scars of their last fateful encounter.

In the past hour she'd been awake she'd been tied up, tricked, humiliated, terrified, confused and scarred, and all of that she'd been able to handle. Now though, her entire world shattered into pieces, and she no longer knew if this was all just a dream, or was something that was actually happening. Her lips quivered as she looked at him, but she had to be sure.

"Hic-…Hiccup?"

He smiled. "Hey Astrid."

For the second time in a single day Astrid fainted, and it was all Hiccups fault.

Xx-xX

* * *

Alright, she knows. Now we just have to figure out just what the HEL hiccup was thinking pulling a stunt like that. Or was it really him doing it? Hmmmmmm, something to think about eh? Love you guys ^^


	4. Bitterness

You know I spoil you guys right :)

Got sick today so I stayed home and wrote. Don't expect anaother chapter in 24 hours, it's not gonna happen again.

Anyways, this chapter gets a bit heavy toward the end. Also because I was sick there may be some grammer issues or sentences that don;t sound right. I did my best at editing but I'm sure I missed some stuff. The heavy stuff isn;t anything explicit its just...a bit dark, so bear that in mind.

I'll have more to say at the end to clarrify a few things that I think will be confusing. Also if anyone out there likes this story enough to help with the editing that'd be a big help. It would speed up time between uploads and I'm sure I'd help the story flow better to, but that's just my opinion. Message me if you're interested.

Thanks for reading.

* * *

"_Is this some kind of a joke to you?"_

"_I…umm…"_

"_Our parents war is about to become ours. Figure out which side you're on."_

Xx-xX

Astrid closed her eyes tighter as the sun rolled over them. She didn't want to get up, she was still to tired. She groaned as her stomach barked at her. She was starving; she needed food _now_. Painfully she opened one eye then the other and brought her hands up to rub them. Her eyes hurt from so much crying, something she very unaccustomed to doing.

She started to lower her hands but noticed them pull on one another. She blinked a few times to focus her gaze and saw them bound together still. It looked like rope, but it was mush softer, and it didn't dig into her skin nearly as much. She gave a hard tug and groaned when it held firm. At least her hands were in front of her now, that helped a bit at least. Astrid let out an involuntary yawn and scanned her surroundings.

The room was much bigger than the previous one. She was lying down one something soft this time; a bed, and a fairly large one at that. It was covered with warm pelts and soft cushions, but it also had blankets and furs embroidered with amazing motifs and colored in dyes she didn't think were possible. Many designs she recognized, but many others were foreign to her. She noticed how nice the bed smelt, like it had actually been washed with soap not to long ago.

To the right of the bed was a larger pile of furs laid on the ground, with a distinct shadow-cushion of the one who'd slept there. Above the pile was a window that had let in the wakening light, though half of it was covered by a decoratively designed curtain. On the left side of her bed was a small nightstand with a used candle, and across from it was a tall bookshelf that was, for the most part, full. She wouldn't be surprised if there were more books there than on all of Berk. At the end of the bed was a long thin chest, most likely for storing clothes.

The rest of the room was pretty much bare. There was one another window farther down on the right and a door opposite where she lay. There was a large rug that took up most of the wood floor and hanging in the center of the room was a horned chandelier with three candle spots. The bedroom was nice, really nice. The décor, the structure, the bed, the dragon bed-

_The dragon bed._

_Those furs were for a dragon._

_A dragon slept here._

_His _dragon.

It all came back to her as the memory floodgates burst open. The dragon, the saliva, the laughing, Hiccup…

_Hiccup._

_Hiccup was alive._

_Hiccup was ALIVE!_

She began to breath heavy again. It wasn't possible, it couldn't be. Hiccup was dead, she'd left him to die; _she _had killed him, she had run and-and…

Her stomach growled at her again and she slowly rolled off the blankets she was under. She was still wearing her 'ceremonial' robes, though the left sleeve had been ripped off at the shoulder. She saw her wrapped arm and tried to reach it, but with both her hands still bound all she could do was paw at it with her thumbs. It was still cold, but it didn't hurt, so she'd let it stay, for now. Astrid sat up and spun her legs over the edge up the bed, but just as she put weight on her foot it turned to ice. She quickly pulled back and saw her left foot was also wrapped. The firepit in the cove, of course. She took a deep breath and slowly stood up. Her foot didn't hurt it just felt very cold and…slimy. She could walk, that's all that mattered. She took each step forward slow and cautious, trying to make as little noise as possible. The floor had been built very good, only once having made a creak under her weight. She'd just about made it to the door when something stood out from the corner of her eye. She turned and gasped thinking it was him, but quickly saw it was just display.

The mannequin held his armor, and now that she saw it in the light, she realized some things. It really was covered in scales, the whole thing. The foundation's must have been very thick leather to hold them all so well and offer protection. Dragon scales were known for being as hard as stone, so it was doubtful anything less of a sharp and powerful blade could pierce both scales and leather. She noticed there were a few cuts and scratches patterned around, but nothing that had actually gone in deep. It was solid black save the slightly lighter colored strapping that held it all together, and for the red stripes that ran just above the eye slits and over the top of the mask. The right shoulder pad of the chest piece housed a second pad on top of the first, and on it rested the design of a red dragon curled into itself. The armor was amazing, truly it was. It wasn't like anything Astrid had ever seen before and she doubted even Gobber would be able to make something like this. It was also amazing because dragon scales were impossible to mold without splintering, yet here they seemed to flow and bend with whomever wore the armor.

She reached out to touch the armor but pulled back at the last second and shook her head. No, this was all just so weird, and she didn't know what was going on. She looked down as her wrist bindings and frowned.

_Priority one: Get her hands freed._

She looked around the room but couldn't find anything sharp enough to do the trick. She sighed; of course it wouldn't be that easy. She walked to the door, took a deep breath, and slowly pulled it open. She peered out cautiously, looking for danger. With her limited view she couldn't see much, but it seemed safe. Slowly she opened the door and squeezed through before quietly shutting it behind her. There was a small corner just outside the room and when she made her way around it, she gasped.

If she wasn't concerned for her own life she might have smiled, even laughed. Near the center of the large room the Night Fury lay on its back, its feet curled up in the air and its tongue hanging out its mouth. It was asleep. Laying across the beast's belly was Hiccup; also asleep. His arms and legs were stretched out over the dragon's sides and his face was buried in the soft underside of Toothless, a bit of drool seeping onto the dragon. Astrid blinked, not expecting to see _that_ but she needed to focus. Next to the sleeping pair was a small hearth built into the floor with a cooking pot hung over where the fires would be. To the far right of the room was another door, and judging from the two windows beside it she guessed it led outside. Directly to her right was what seemed like a small kitchen area. Along the wall there was a furnace, an oven for making bread, cupboards for food, and a few shelves that seated empty jugs and cups. In the center of the area was a short table with two chairs on each side, and hanging above it were some herbs, a basket of onions, a raw dried fish and a rabbit's foot. These were common in most kitchens because they were used as seasonings and flavor enhancers.

She jumped when she heard the dragon snort. It licked its lips and closed its mouth before going back into a peaceful sleep. Astrid let out a nervous exhale before moving closer into the room. She had a few options. She could sneak to the door and run out, but she didn't know what was out there and she didn't want to risk it while still bound. Hiccup had a knife on him, but she wouldn't dare go near him or his beast.

_The kitchen. There had to be a knife there somewhere. _

Astrid tip-toed her way over and began looking for anything sharp. Finally, she spotted one hanging just above the furnace.

_A cooking knife, perfect. _

She began to reach for it, and just as her fingertips danced on the tip of the metal blade she heard a low growl and spun around.

Toothless showed his teeth and glared at her. She looked back as her heart pounded hard, but she strangely wasn't nearly as afraid as she'd been in the past. The dragon gave her a threatening stare before looking down at the man in his lap before pushing his chest out. Astrid heard a tired moan come from Hiccup.

"Gnn, five more minutes Toothless-OOF!"

The dragon rolled over and sent Hiccup face-first into the floor. Hiccup groaned and pushed himself up on his knees.

"Fine fine I'm up. We'll go in a bit I promise."

The dragon nudged his master's face and made him look toward Astrid. Hiccup blinked a few times before his eyes went wide and he scrambled to his feet.

"A-Astrid?! Hey Astrid-umm…"

Without thinking she spun around and pulled the knife into her hands before pointing it at Hiccup. The dragon's spine tips tenses and he let out a snarl, but Hiccup just nudged him away.

"Wow Astrid hey, j-just calm down."

She was panting and her arms were shaking, but she wouldn't go down without a fight, not now.

"Astrid put the knife down and let's talk okay? No ones going to hurt you, I promise."

Gods it was him; it was Hiccup. He was so much older, but he still acted so much like the dorky screwup she remembered as a kid. His voice was very calm and reassuring, but this was still a trick, it had to be.

"Please Astrid, let's just talk. Put the knife down, nothing bad is going to happen."

He meant it, she knew he did, but she was still so scared and confused. She calmed herself down, but before she'd do anything for him, he had to do something for her. She lifted her wrists so he could see her bindings.

"I want cut free. Now."

She saw him bite his lip and she frowned.

"I-I will Astrid, but after we talk okay?"

"Now Hiccup!"

It was weird saying his name like that. She hadn't said it out loud to herself in years, and now she was directing it at him; she was talking _to_ him. She watched him take a step forward and she tensed.

"Please Astrid, I'm not trying to trick you, but I don't know what you'll do. Please just trust me."

"TRUST YOU? You want my trust you can start by letting me go!"

"Astrid…"

"HICCUP!"

She wasn't going to be the victim anymore; it was time to take charge. Hiccup turned to Toothless who still glared at Astrid but wasn't growling anymore. He sighed in defeat and nodded to her.

"Fine, but you have to promise me you'll stay and let me explain. That means no punching me in the face and no running away. Toothless will catch you if you try."

He tried not to smile at that last bit, but Astrid already saw it. She huffed in annoyance; the beast could kill her in an instant, what hope did she have of trying to run? Still, he said he'd free her, so it was a start, and of course she wanted to learn why the HEL he was still alive.

"Fine," she lowered the knife but held it firm. "Just cut me loose and I'll…I'll listen."

Hiccup gave a warm smile and slowly approached her. He tried to stay out of her personal space as he got near and gestured to her knife. She was reluctant at first, but finally she conceded and handed it over. Hiccup reached down and cupped her hands in his right palm and held the knife in his left.

_It really was Hiccup. _

He was ambidextrous but his left hand was his dominate. A shiver ran down her back as he held her hands in his; they were rough and callused but gentler and warmer than she thought they'd be. She let out a quick breath as he swift and forcefully cut through the nylon bindings. The rope-like material fell to the floor as he let her go. She rubbed her wristed and sighed. They were still sore from the harsh bindings she'd first endured, but they felt much better now that they were free.

Hiccup watched her with a hint of concern. He knew her first instinct would be to run, or to try and hit him. He really, really hoped she would stay cool and not try anything, and to his surprise she did just that. After she rubbed her wrists she starred at him, then walked to the side and took a seat at the table. Hiccup sighed in relief and hung the kitchen knife back up where it belonged and took a seat across from her. She sat with her arms crossed and her head turned to the side, refusing to look at him. Toothless slid over to his friends' side and cooed at him. He scratched the top of Toothless's head before the dragon laid down next to him. Hiccup looked over at Astrid and suddenly lost his voice. He wanted to tell her so much, he hadn't gotten to talk to anyone like her in a long time, and now that he had the chance to, he started to clam up. Where should he start, _how_ could he start? His heart began to beat anxiously, like when he was a kid trying to talk to Astrid for the first time.

_Astrid_

Gods she was beautiful. He looked at her now and thought about all the times he'd embarrassed himself in front of her as a kid. The two of them had never really had a conversation until his last few months on Berk. Before that he'd just stare at her either from Gobber's workshop or when she walked by him in the village. Once, he tried to muster enough courage to _actually_ go and talk to her, but of course in the process of doing so he tripped over a barrel that went tumbling down a hill in the village center and crashed into a crate that held a weeks' worth of fish; all of it had been ruined. No matter what he did he always found a way to mess things up, and eventually he began to realize he'd never have a chance with a girl like her, or any girl for that matter.

But now here she was, back in his life again. Five years ago he never thought he'd return to Berk, let alone see Astrid again. Now, in the past twenty-four hours she'd been offered up to him as a slave and now she sat across from him at his own table. Who would have thought?

"You're suppose to be dead." Her voice was cold, emotionless. Hiccup shook himself from his daydream then looked down with a sigh.

"I know."

"You KNOW?! Are you serious?" She snapped back to him and gave a deathly glare.

"Astrid I-"

"You've been gone for five years! I told everyone you attacked a Night Fury; they all laughed at me! When you didn't come back they went searching for you and found your blood, and the whole time you were alive!"

Hiccup closed his eyes and grit his teeth.

"I didn't want to leave but I had to."

"Bullshit!"

"They would have killed Toothless!" He roared and slammed his fist into the table. It was enough to startle Astrid, but she kept her glaring eyes focused on him.

"I wasn't _going_ to fake my death, but you gave me no choice. I knew you'd find the cove eventually and I needed to act fast. I wanted to show you what I'd learned about dragons, but I knew you'd be too stubborn to listen; you would have tried to kill him. There's so much more to dragons then you know; they're not monsters they're-"

"Do you even hear yourself Hiccup?!" She roared. "We've been at war with them for three-hundred years. They've killed hundreds of us!"

"And we've killed THOUSANDS of them! Three-hundred years and not one person _dared_ to try and make peace. WHY?"

"Why?" She scoffed. "Because they _raid_ and _pillage_ our home Hiccup, they take our food and burn down our homes!"

"Did you ever stop and ask _why_ Astrid?"

"They're animals Hiccup. They-"

"They're _not _animals; listen to me! They're smart, caring, gentle creatures that only want to-"

"Didn't a dragon _kill_ your mother?"

Astrid regretted it the moment she said it. A dark feeling of 'oh-shit' fell on her as she lowered her spiteful look toward him. Hiccup starred at her with a blank, unreadable expression that Astrid didn't like. An eerie silence hung over them. She'd crossed a line.

"Are you hungry?" His voice was stale and emotionless. Her stomach screamed at her.

_Why'd he have to ask? She was starving. _

Astrid gave him a slow nod and watched him aggressively get up and walk behind her.

_Fuck. I shouldn't have said that._

Astrid then noticed the dragon starring at her. It didn't look angry or ready to kill her. It looked…curious. She looked away, then shot it a glace and looked away again. She didn't like it looking at her, not after the tongue bath it'd given her. She flinched when a wood plate was dropped in front of her. There was an apple, and cooked fish, some leaks, and a fork. She began to salivate as she looked at her meal but shot her view up when she heard Hiccup.

"Come on bud, let's go for a fly."

"Umm, where do you think you're going."

Hiccup didn't even turn to look at her as he walked out the front door. "We'll be back later." With a hard slam of the door he and Toothless were gone, leaving Astrid sitting shocked and alone.

_*sigh* Great. Just fucking great._

She wanted to be angrier, but she was to hungry to care. She dug into her food rather ravenously, not even using her fork as she bit off chunks of the cooked fish. It tasted alright, nothing special, but could have definitely used some seasoning. As she ate she thought about how crazy all this was. Hiccup was alive, Hiccup was the Dragon Master, Hiccup was-.

_Hiccup was the Dragon Master_

She nearly choked on a piece of her apple. Great gods, Hiccup WAS the Dragon Master! For two years it had been him the whole time and no one knew; no one would have thought it possible. How could Hiccup Horrendous Haddock have possibly become the dreaded and feared Dragon Master that plagued the entire Barbaric Archipelago? It was madness, it couldn't be true but…it made sense. They'd never found Hiccups body, which should have been an immediate red flag.

_Dragons don't eat people._

He and that Night Fury must have left together after she had run away. She couldn't begin to image where they'd been or had gone, but she remembered clearly the night he had shown up. She'd known from the moment he'd landed that night that his Night Fury was the same one from the cove. She always believed the Dragon Master was the one who controlled the dragons, so really it was _him_ who was responsible for Hiccups death, NOT her. That hadn't stopped her from feeling responsible, but still. It all began to make sense now, in a twisted, Hiccup kind of way.

_Damn him! Damn that son-of-a-bitch and everything he's done!_

Astrid was fuming once again as she took the last bite of her apple before throwing it against a wall. She was pissed, he _had _tricked her, he'd tricked them all.

_That explains dragon training. _She though._ He had cheated!_

That lying sack-of-shit had cheated AND had made her feel guilty about his death.

_For FIVE. FUCKING. YEARS!_

She got up, nearly breaking her chair and stomped toward the exit he'd left from. She swung open the door, which crashed and splintered on the inside, and stomped out. She didn't even take the time to see her surroundings, all she cared about was finding that little bastard and ringing his neck! She scanned to find him, and when she didn't find him she looked up at the sky. It was a clear, cloud-free mid-afternoon, but there wasn't a Night Fury in sight.

"**HICCUP!**"

She didn't see or anything that would indicate a Night Fury or a thin Viking, so she yelled out again; still nothing. Astrid then heard a snort coming from her left and turned, only to jump back at the sight of the curious Deadly Nadder. It cocked its head and looked at her from the side like a bird before jumping to the left and repeating the motion. Astrid was shocked at first, but as her rage returned as her dominant sense she glared and charged the dragon. The Nadder jumped back and squeaked in fright but Astrid had already latched on. She remembered her advanced training in the fighting ring and punched the dragon as hard as she could under the wing where it connected to its body. The blow did the trick as the dragon cried out in pain and dropped to the ground. Astrid punched again and again to weaken the beast more, eventually to the point where it was on its side and rolling to try and get her off. Astrid took the chance to reach behind the beast and painfully rip out one of its permanent spikes before using it as a weapon to stab into its chest. The first attack was extremely effective as she was able to break through the soft underbelly scales and skin.

_The dragon began bleed. _

She yanked the spike out and stabbed again, though due to the sharpness now being much duller it didn't break skin as easy, but she was strong enough to force it through anyways. The dragon beneath her struggled and screamed as it was attacked, Astrid relentlessly beating it and screaming herself. The spike got flat enough that it wouldn't puncture anymore, but Astrid just kept beating and screaming. She didn't even notice the Night Fury land, or Hiccup yelling at her until she was grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. She landed hard on her back, but immediately tried to get up before feeling a cold metal push hard against her neck.

"**WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!**"

Astrid was going to thrown him off her until she saw how he was looking at her. The man she'd known as a child no longer looked familiar to her, this was a stranger, and he scared her. His pale eyes were filled with untold rage, and the face of a killer stared down at her. Her breathing stopped. Whatever anger had filled her veins was now gone and replaced by a cold dread, the same dread she'd had the evening in the cove with him, and the night she was taken. She knew this feeling. She knew she was at deaths door; all she had to do with push a bit further and it'd be over.

Hiccups teeth were bared and his breathing was heavy as it his her face. He'd been gone five minutes only to be drawn back by her yelling and the pained screams of a dragon. He didn't know what was happening until he saw blood, and in that moment he felt like the biggest idiot in the world, but also the most outraged one. He had killed people before when they'd hurt dragons, and as he ran at her he thought for a minute that this would be no different, but once he had her down he stopped.

He could do it, right now with a simple slash, but he stopped himself. He wanted to do it-_he_ whispered for him to do it, but he couldn't. This wasn't just another nameless Viking brute, this was Astrid. He knew who she was and what she could do but…he couldn't do it. That didn't stop him, however, from showing her his fury and how close he was to the edge of ending it all for her right there, right now.

"I-I…y-you…" She couldn't find the words, she was to petrified to think. The pit of her stomach dropped as she felt him push his dagger in even harder on her already strained neck.

"I LEAVE FOR FIVE MINUTES AND I COME BACK TO YOU TRYING TO KILL A DRAGON?! YOU'RE A MONSTER ASTRID, AND YOU KNOW WHAT _WE_ VIKINGS DO TO MONSTERS? WE KILL THEM!"

Her vision started to become blurry as tears formed in her eyes. She could see it in him, he was going to do it, she was going to die. Hiccup closed his eyes tight and shook his head.

"No, stop-stop pushing me. I'm not going to hurt her, just leave!"

There it was again-what was he saying? Who was he talking to? She watched in fear as he yelled and pulled himself away from her, dropping the knife and falling to his knees. Astrid began breathing again and watched Hiccup drop his head into his hands. She didn't know what was happening, but she needed to leave, now. She wiped her eyes and saw a thick forest off in the distance, and without a second thought she bolted. She didn't know where she was going or what she was doing, she just ran, like she had the day of Hiccups 'supposed' death. She never heard him yell for her to come back, or him calling Toothless away from chasing her. She just kept running and running and didn't look back. The only thing she heard besides her own panic breathing were the wails of the dragon she'd attacked, and it was a long time of running before the screeching finally became to far away to hear.

Xx-xX

She didn't know how far or how long she run; she'd just kept running till her legs gave out under her. She lied in the dirt for an hour and cried; about everything that'd happened to her. She cried because Hiccup was alive. She cried because her parents sold her to die. She cried because Hiccup lied to her, and she cried because he'd almost killed her. He'd taken her from her village, he'd tricked her into thinking she was going to be eaten, he'd tricked her as a child and she thought he died, and he'd held a knife to her throat and called her a monster. He was going to kill her; he'd _wanted _to kill her; she saw it in his eyes. She saw the face of the demon who'd attacked her home for years, and for a brief instant she thought the Hiccup she'd known had died again…and it would have been her fault.

Her rage, her frustration. It made her a deadly adversary, but it blinded her to reason. Her hate was fueled by her fear, and her fear came from her guilt. She got angry because she was afraid; afraid of losing, of being weak, of failing. Him being the Dragon Master terrified her, because the man she feared, and the man Hiccup had become clashed violently within her. She knew it was him, but she could accept it, she'd refused to, and that lead to anger with both persons combined as one. She'd been carrying regret and self-condemnation on her shoulders for five years.

It was only natural that outbursts of rage were her only coping mechanism.

Astrid sniffed and pushed a length of hair out of her eyes. Once she was able to walk again, she'd found a small cave and hid inside. For the past few hours she just sat there, curled into a ball and sobbing. She was so frightened now, both of Hiccup and herself. She didn't like that she'd gone berserk, though that's how she always felt after an outburst, only this time it had been much worse. She was scared of what Hiccup might do if he found her. He'd never let her go again if he found her; she needed to stay hidden and find a way home…but could she even go back now? After what happened, _would_ she go back? It was all just too much, and she didn't know what she should do…and she was still hungry…and she was filthy. She dropped her head to her knees and cursed her own existence.

_Odin, please, just strike me down now and be done with it…_

"And what good would that do?"

Astrid shot her eyes up and starred at the dark figure. By now the sun was almost down so there was little light to see, but something about the figure seemed off. Its voice was soft and feminine, but it had an almost otherworld echo to it. Astrid knew she should be at least a little scared by the appearance of the stranger, but for some reason she felt calm about it…almost safe. Astrid gave a small snuffle and wiped her eyes clear.

"W-What?"

"If Odin struck you now what good would it do for you, hmm? I don't see you as one to simply give up when things start to hurt."

Astrid blinked. Had she read her mind? She watched intently as the figure walked toward her and began to faintly glow. Astrid's mouth gaped open as she watched the goddess light the world around them in a soft white glow. She was tall and beautiful, with long brown hair and chestnut eyes. She wore a sleeveless garb that hung just past the knees, but she wore no shoes. Under her garment she wore a tight brown chest piece with embroidered leaves and a pair of tight pants that ran down to her ankles. On each wrist she wore a kind of band, or bracelet, and all down both arms were tattooed an array of patters and symbols. A small trinket acted as a necklace around her neck and strapped across her chest was the string of a bow that held tight to her back; next to it a sword was sheathed as well. The woman stepped before Astrid and held out a smooth hand. Astrid was reluctant, but something told her this woman was here to help.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled, the kind of smile a mother gives a small child.

"I am Freya, and I am your guide."

Xx-xX

* * *

Okay, a few notes:

First, I know a couple people have said this but no, Hiccup is NOT crazy. There's a reason for his madness and I hinted at it in the last line.

Second, leading off the first, YES there will be norse gods in play from now on. Do some research and maybe you can figure some stuff out before the next chapter ;)

Third, Astrid does NOT have the same temper as in the show, nor does any character for that matter. I'm trying to add more realistic depth to them than the happy family friendly version we all know and love. That being said, I don't hate ANY characters at all, I think they are all awesome and unique but each is going through something completely diffeent then what we got in a cartoon, so bear that in mind moving forward. Things have to be bumpy before they can be smooth.

Fourth, and last, I tried to describe how Freya looked as best I could, but if you want a clear idea then look of Freya from God of War. That's basicly the look I'm giving her but I'm gonna keep her lore as close to original Norse folktale as I can. Okay, love you guys!


	5. Talking

Alright, new chapter, new stuff to say. First off this one took me a bit longer than normal but I'm happy with the results. I struggle a bit with long-term conversations, so if things don't sound right or flow wrong please let me know. I'm litteraly begging you to pick apart my writing and tell me what's wrong with it :)

Anyways hope you guys enjoy. I'm still looking for an editor if anyones interested. Nothing big or anything, just someone who will double-check my writing before I post. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Toothless looked out toward the forest. He'd been waiting for hours, but she never came back. Hiccup was drunk, again, and arguing with _him _about human stuff. Toothless was a creature of instinct, not judgement. He thought about the human girl; what she'd done and how Hiccup had treated her. He didn't like her, but she was important to Hiccup. He waited and watched for her to return, but as time went by her scent slowly began to fade. Finally Toothless had grown tired with waiting and set off to go and find her. He'd bring the human female back home, and then Hiccup would be happy and the bad one would leave them alone. Maybe he'd even get an extra basket of fish for bringing her back!

Xx-xX

Astrid followed Freya through the dark forest in silence. She didn't know where she was being led or what was going to happen, but oddly she didn't care. She didn't feel scared or angry or…anything really. She just felt content, calm even. She started to think, _really_ think, about all that had happened.

Hiccup really was alive. Something about that felt so wrong, yet so _right_ at the same time. She was conflicted on whether she should be more angry that he'd lied or happy that he'd survived. Hiccup had never been very big, or strong, or athletic, or capable or…well, he hadn't been like most Vikings. He'd been short, but agile; weak, but smart. He always made an effort to try and help even if it ended in disaster most of the time, and unlike the others he wasn't boastful or vulgar or mean.

_He'd been…nice._

An oddity such as Hiccup should have been a sign. Of all the Vikings that had lived since they first settled, only Hiccup could be the one to tame a wild dragon. That idea alone went against everything the Viking culture stood for. It was wrong, unnatural, but it happened. Hiccup turned the impossible, possible, and it alone merited respect. Who would have believed that the small gangly boy that had been Hiccup Haddock would grow up to have a Night Fury as his own personal pet?

So what happened to him? Obviously five years was more than enough to change someone, but the Hiccup she knew now was nothing like the one she'd known. That wasn't even right either, because she _didn't _know this new Hiccup, he was so much more…

_Harsh_

Harsh was a good word but it didn't fully describe him. He was taller, stronger, even a bit buffer at the shoulders. He even looked good, _really_ good. _She'd think on that more later._ Physically, he was five years older and had grown well into his body, but behind that toned, enticing body was a far more mature and cold-hearted man. Hiccup had seen and done things Astrid couldn't begin to imagine. She didn't have proof, she just knew; she could see it in his eyes. The way he'd threatened her told her he was a killer. No person could threaten the way he did and claim to be innocent, especially someone like Hiccup. It proved to be one of the biggest walls that separated the Hiccup she remembered and the Hiccup she now feared.

Yes, she feared him. She was afraid of the man he'd become, because she had no idea who that man was. The Hiccup she knew wasn't violent or intimidating; this one was. How could she go on believing that both Hiccups were truly the same person? It was simple; she couldn't. It was coming to her slowly, but Astrid was starting to realize that the Hiccup she'd known was gone. If she wanted any familiar image of him back then she'd need to learn who Hiccup was _now_, not who he had been.

Astrid stopped walking and froze. Down the hill she saw Hiccups cabin, and Freya turned to her with curious eyes.

"No, I can't-I can't go back there."

"You can't? Or you won't?"

Astrid looked at the goddess. Her voice was soft and tender. She didn't judge, she didn't accuse, she just asked and waited for a response. Astrid thought about what she said and shook her head.

"I can't _and_ I won't. I won't go back to a man I don't know who tried to kill me. He'll…He'll hurt me."

"Do you believe that?"

Astrid went to speak but stopped herself. Her eye suddenly got very heavy and she hung her head.

"I…I don't know."

Astrid felt a soft hand rest just under her chin and she looked up. Freya's gaze gave her safety and warmth, but she was still sad and confused.

"What _do_ you believe?"

Astrid looked down at where Hiccup lived, then back to her feet.

"I want to think that Hiccup really is alive…but the man I saw wasn't him. I don't know who Hiccup is anymore."

"You are right," Astrid looked up to her again. "but not for the reasons you think. Hiccup has indeed grown and changed, but there is a part of him now that is _not_ a part of him."

Astrid furrowed her brow. That didn't make any sense. How could-

"Come, they will be unaware of our presence. You must know the truth before you make your choice."

Freya reached for Astrid, who grasped her hand without complaint, and led her down to the home below. By now it had grown quite dark, with only the soft glow of a crescent moon to light their path. The closer they approached the small cottage the more Astrid's anxiety grew, but Freya's warm presence at least made her safe. So long as she was protected by a goddess Hiccup wouldn't be able to hurt her…right?

One minute they were walking, and the next they were in the home. Astrid blinked and looked around before tensing up and squeezing Freya's hand. Hiccup was sitting in front of her, one hand pressed to his face and the other gripped to a flagon of mead. He sat in a chair by the kitchen table with his head hung low, but across from him sat another man who stood out quite jarringly. He was tall, with a smooth clean face and eyes that matched Hiccups in all but brightness. He wore a green tunic and robe adorned with gold seams that ran down past his legs and brushed the floor. Gold-embroidered sleeves ran down his arm and connected to a pair of emerald gauntlets that armored his hands. An olive cape was draped over his shoulders, and his head was concealed in a golden helmet with large horns. The man kept one foot pressed up against the table as he balanced himself on two legs of his seat, and in his hand, he held a green, half-eaten apple, with an amused look plastered on his face. Every Viking child learned of the gods at a young age, and this one was by far the most identifiable.

_Loki_

"You know," His voice was chipper and carefree as a bit of apple spit from his mouth. "it could have been worse."

Hiccup dragged his head up and looked at his guest with a deadpan stare.

"And how _exactly_ could it have been worse?"

"Well for one," Loki said while taking another loud bite out of his apple. "she could have killed that dragon had you not stopped her. At least you saved its life."

"You almost made me kill her!" Hiccup bellowed as he slammed his mug down on the table.

Astrid jumped back but Freya calmed her. "They can't see us. We are viewing them from outside their vison." Astrid gulped and nodded as she listened intently.

"So? She's going to be nothing but trouble anyways. Better to get rid of her now before she kills you in your sleep."

Hiccup clenched his fist and stared down the uncaring god.

"You don't know anything about her. She's hotheaded and stubborn, but I can get through to her. I _can_ make her see the truth!"

"Yeah, sure you can." Loki scoffed. He took another bite from his apple and rocked slowly in his chair. Hiccup sighed and downed more of his mead before hanging his head again.

"Thor help me…"

Loki snapped his attention to Hiccup and dropped his chair back onto all four legs.

"Oh, you'd rather him guide you than me, is that it? Fine, I'll just leave and let you-"

Hiccup popped his head up. "No, wait. I didn't mean it like that." His voice was pleading and honest.

"Really? That big oaf would never care about you. I saved you; I protected you, so don't start thinking anyone else would have done what I did for you. You _owe_ me."

"I know."

Hiccup let his gaze wander before drinking the rest of his mead. Astrid watched him as she began to understand. Hiccup had grown, but he was more like his old self than she thought. He might have been drunk, but she saw that same disappointed look in his eyes she'd seen back when he ended up messing things up as a kid. It wasn't a good look, but it was a Hiccup look.

"I have to try," He said, looking at the god of tricks with a drunk-determined look. "and I can't let you make me doubt myself anymore."

Loki narrowed his eyes and stood.

"You are playing a dangerous game Hiccup Haddock..." His expression then changed to a mischievous smirk. "Fortunately, I enjoy dangerous games. I'll let you deal with the brat all you want, but I won't help you if you can't control her. I'd recommend keeping her on a _tight_ leash."

Hiccup nodded. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

Loki huffed and turned away. "Whenever you decide you need me again, you know how to call me." With that, a light flashed, and Loki was gone, leaving Hiccup alone to pass out on the table. Astrid looked at him and blinked, only to then find herself and Freya standing at the edge of the woods.

"W-Wait! That's all?"

"What more did you expect?" Freya asked, her voice still soft and comforting.

Astrid sputtered, trying to form a coherent sentence but her mind was just racing with questions. Freya placed a hand on her shoulder and suddenly her anxiety was stifled. Astrid took in a deep breath and looked down again at the home below.

"So Loki's been controlling Hiccup, that's why he-"

"No," Freya cut in, her voice stern but tender. "Hiccups choices are always his own, but Loki's words can sometimes influence the young man's decisions. He is Hiccups guide, as I am yours."

Astrid thought about what she said. If Hiccup wasn't being controlled by Loki, he was at least manipulated by him. That would explain why Hiccup threatened to kill her or make her think she was going to be eaten by a dragon; it was all Loki's doing! Loki was the one making Hiccup attack Berk and free the dragons; maybe he was the one responsible for making the Night Fury obey Hiccup. It all made sense now!

Freya watched with interest at how the young girls mind jumped to swift and easy conclusions. It would not be her place to explain all truths to her, only those which she could not see herself. Astrid was to lost in trying to make sense of everything that she didn't even notice Freya leading her again. It was only once she saw her own body, wrapped in a mass of black that she was shaken from her thoughts.

"Wait, what is..? Oh, I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

"Yes, though it seems now you have a protector."

Astrid raised a brow, then two when she saw the lump of darkness move. Those emerald eyes were slow to open, but once they did, they starred directly at them. The Night Fury's head slowly raised as it looked at Astrid with sharp eyes, but they quickly conceded once it looked to the goddess next to her. Astrid's heart skipped a beat at seeing the dark beast, and how its body wrapped around her own sleeping form. She would have panicked more had Freya not kept her relaxed.

"Do you believe he will hurt you?" She asked, looking at Astrid with a questioning look.

"N-no but-"

"Then you have nothing to fear. Your thoughts should be on what you will do next."

Astrid watched the dragon, who watched her back, before turning to Freya.

"W-what do you mean?"

"There are many paths laid before you, and there is no shame in any of them. Whatever you decide, I will be there to guide you, but your choices are yours to make, and yours alone."

The goddess finally met Astrid's gaze with her own, and her warm smile helped quench any lingering doubts Astrid held. She began to feel extremely tired all the sudden, and her eyes felt very heavy as she strained to keep them open. The last thing she remembered was Freya planting a small kiss on the top of her head before everything went black.

Toothless watched as Astrid's figure vanished before a small spur of movement came from the human female he was wrapped around. The goddess Freya turned to the Night Fury and offered a gracious smile. Toothless bowed his head low in respect of the goddess, and pulled back up when he felt she had left. He glanced over at the human girl once more before lowering his head and drifting back to sleep. He would keep her safe, both for Freya's sake, and Hiccups.

Xx-xX

Astrid didn't know how long to took her to fully wake up, but she'd watched the light of the morning sun creep into the cave. Finally she blinked, once then twice before starting to come too. She noticed her own breathing at first, then she felt the breathing of something under her. She'd slowly been rocking up and down though had hardly noticed it until now. She craned her eyes over and looked at the face of the sleeping dragon beneath her. Good, it was just Hiccup's dragon.

_Hiccup's dragon!_

Astrid let out a frighten scream and scrambled to get free. Toothless's eyes shot open as he jumped up and moved away, knocking Astrid to the ground and making her spit dirt from her mouth. Astrid shook her head and sat up, only to hold her breath when she saw those green eyes again. Toothless sat in front of her, eyes globed and his tail swishing behind him. Astrid swallowed hard and sat still, watching, waiting for it to do something. The dragon watched her back, titling its head to the side in a questioning manner. Astrid steadied her breathing before slowly standing to her feet.

"Y-You won't hurt me…right?"

The dragon's expression dropped to one of annoyance. Astrid took it as a sign that her question was a stupid one.

_If it was going to hurt me, it would have already done so._

Astrid let out a deep breath before taking a step forward. The moment she put weight on her right foot she nearly collapsed if not for the dragon that rushed to support her. Her right ankle tingled with pain, most likely a sprain she'd acquired the night before. She looked surprised at the Night Fury before pushing him away.

"I'm fine. I don't need your help."

Toothless grumbled and rolled his eyes before walking toward the exit of the cave. She followed slowly, her leg stinging with pain every step she took. Once out of the cave, and after adjusting to the bright morning light, Astrid trailed the Night Fury who, apparently, knew exactly where it needed to go. She knew it was leading her back to Hiccup; she needed to decide now if that's what she _wanted_ to do. Freya said she had many paths, which she gathered meant what she was going to do _right_ now. The obvious choice was to follow the dragon back and go from there…but what else was there? She was on an island she didn't know, injured, hungry, scarred, and being led around by a damned Night Fury. She couldn't run, couldn't hide, and she'd most likely starve to death or get killed by an animal if she tried to go on her own. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed help.

_Astrid Hofferson needed Hiccup Haddocks help. Gods save her._

After a good while of walking and a few bad trips, the Viking and dragon came to a clearing overlooking part of the island. Below she saw Hiccups home, but now she took the time to examine everything else. The island was heavily forested save a few scattered spots, Hiccups home being the largest. She could see the ocean that surrounded the landmass, but it was unclear how far a drop it was to the water level. She couldn't see any shores or beaches, which worried her since there seemed no way off the island but jumping or…flying.

The dragon of death barked at her to keep moving, which stunned Astrid a bit. It spoke to her, sort of, which was pretty weird and not what she expected. She tried to play off her confusion by rolling her eyes and frowning, but all that got her was a quick slap to the back of the head by the dragon's tail. Since when did dragons have attitude? Astrid gave him a stern glare that went unnoticed as she followed him down the steep slope, still thinking of what she was going to do while rubbing the back of her sore head.

As they approached the cottage, Astrid was able to see more of it, and realized how permanent a setup it was. The home itself was small, but built sturdy to weather the elements. There was a small canopy build towards the back where she a forge, smelter and other blacksmith equipment was awaiting use. On one side of the home there was a small fenced off area where she could see a small garden had risen up, though even from afar she could tell it had been barely maintained, if at all. The thing she was mainly looking for was the Deadly Nadder she'd attacked, and thankfully there was no sign of it…yet. As she neared the front door however, she glanced a patch of blood-soaked grass. It worried her; not for the dragon's wellbeing, but for what Hiccup would say or do to her because of what she'd done.

Toothless nudged the front door open and walked in, Astrid steady behind him. Inside they found Hiccup nursing a hangover and sitting by the hearth. He was quick to jump up and give his dragon a good scratch under the chin.

"Hey, there you are bud. I was getting worried where you-"

That's when he noticed Astrid standing awkwardly by the door. He looked at her, then to his dragon, before giving a sigh of relief and dropped his smaller head into his dragons much larger crown.

"Thank you for bring her back. I owe you one."

The dragon cooed and nuzzled its master before trotting over and taking a seat by the fire. Hiccup stood up tall and stared at Astrid with a very neutral expression, one that didn't bode well for her. A brief moment of silence passed before Hiccup broke it.

"You look terrible." He said with a blank tone.

Astrid blinked and looked down at herself, realizing just how bad she looked. Her sacrificial robes were torn, there was blood on her arms and chest, her left shoulder and foot were wrapped in bandages, and her right foot was swollen. Hiccup was right; she looked terrible.

"Come sit down."

His tone was much sterner this time and left no room for argument. Astrid sighed and limped her way over to the kitchen table once again. Both Hiccup and his dragon kept their eyes on her, and only once she was seated did Hiccup move to sit across from her as he had the night before. Astrid looked away again, only instead of looking away out of spite she did so out of dismay. Hiccups expressionless gaze was fixed on her as he thought, until finally he decided to get this over with.

"Let's try this again Astrid."

She refused to meet his gaze. Not only was she filled with dread, but she was also starving again and felt very weak. She didn't have the strength to fight back even if she wanted to. Hiccup knew this and would use it to his full advantage, but there were still things wanted to try and make her understand.

"First thing I want to know is why you attacked that dragon." Astrid didn't response at first, which angered Hiccup. "Astrid!" He spoke louder, which made her flinch and look at him.

"I…I-It was going to attack me, why would I not-"

"It was NOT going to attack you."

"Y-You don't know that!" She hollered, a bit of her Viking spirit spontaneously returning, though it would be short lived. Hiccup's eyes narrowed more at her words.

"Astrid, I DO know that, and it would NOT have hurt you. It was curious. It only wanted to learn who you were. Believe whatever you want, but that is the truth."

Astrid was to apprehensive to argue back. She just looked down again, wishing this all to be a horrible dream. She heard Hiccup sigh and watched as he drowned his face in his hands.

"It was a mistake to bring you here." His voice seemed tired, though that might have been from the hangover.

"When are you taking me back?"

"I'm not." Hiccup said, coldly. Astrid shot her gaze up and looked at him shocked.

"W-What?! What do you mean you're not?"

Hiccup pulled his face from his hands and looked at her emotionless again. She didn't like that look, especially the uncompassionate eyes that accompanied it.

"There's several reasons I'm not taking you back, not including for what you did to that Nadder."

There was a clear agitated-ness in his tone, but Hiccup kept himself composed as best he could. Astrid was going to cut in but never got the chance.

"First off, I know exactly what you would do the second you got back. You'd run to my dad and tell him everything, and I can't have that."

"But you-"

"Second, they resorted to barbarism and offered you up as a sacrifice to be, what? At best, kept as a slave? At worse, murdered? Point is what they did was evil and wrong. You're much safer here than pretty much anywhere else."

"You don't-"

"And third!" Hiccup paused, trying to keep a straight face as a smirk slowly kept its way in. "By Viking tradition, you were offered up and accepted, which means you belong to _me_ now."

Hiccup was trying so hard to stay serious, but the idea of it all was just to amusing for him; not so much for Astrid though. A fire ignited in her spirit as she grit her clenched teeth and starred daggers at him.

"I am _NOT_ your property!" She screamed, slamming a fist into the table and making an audible crack in the wood.

Hiccup just let his smile cover his face but decided not to ride this out too much. He didn't actually mean it of course, but it was a card he'd keep tucked away should the need ever arise.

"I'm just stating the facts Astrid. It's not my fault if you're not happy with it." Hiccup debated giving her a coy wink but decided against it. He didn't want to upset her to much, just enough to get his point across.

Astrid growled and wanted nothing more than to grab him by his pretentious neck and wrangle the life out of him, but she knew it was pointless. It was obvious he was just messing with her, but it didn't make her feel any better, especially since he was technically correct, though she'd die before admitting it.

She gave a huff of irritation and crossed her arms.

"Whatever…and do you honestly think that I'm safer here, with _you_? And your pet dragon?"

Hiccup frowned. It was obvious he felt more insulted than she thought he'd be. Good.

"A dragon that helped you when you were lost in the woods and a man who has no intention of raping or murdering you. I'd say you're much better off now than you thought you'd be two nights ago."

Astrid rolled her eyes at him. "Well excuse me for not being overjoyed to find out that I wasted five years being tormented by guilt over someone who faked his own death so he could start leading dragon attacks against his own village."

"I don't lead any attacks," Hiccup snapped, his patience wearing thin. "I alleviate the damage on both sides as best I can, nothing more. I told you I never _wanted _to fake my death, but you forced me to…and what the hel is 'tormented by guilt' supposed to me?"

"What do you think it means! Everyone thought you were dead, I thought-"

"Oh I'm sure the whole village was just _wrought with grief _at my passing!" Astrid was a bit taken back. Hiccups eyes were filled with a cold hate, and his lip was curled in a snarl. "Tell me Astrid, who _actually_ cared when you told them I was dead, hmm? Did anyone even believe you at first, or, did they all throw a celebration to the fact that Hiccup Haddock, the worst Viking to ever live, finally did something useful and got himself killed so he'd no longer be a burden on everyone's lives?"

"Hiccup your dad was-"

"My dad?!" Hiccup yelled as he got to his feet and planted his hands on the table. "My dad _hated_ me! He wanted nothing to do with me, ever since I was a boy he looked at me with nothing but disappointment, if he even looked at me at all. The _only_ time he ever gave two-shits about me was when I started doing good in dragon training, and as you might have guessed, I wasn't actually fighting the dragons."

Astrid couldn't believe the pure hatred that came from Hiccups voice, but she wasn't going to back down now.

"Your dad mourned you Hiccup! He shut himself away from everyone for months after you 'died'."

"HA!" Hiccup laughed bitterly and threw his hands up. "You think he mourned _me_? He might have grieved over the loss of the dragon-fighting sensation I spontaneously became, but he didn't grieve over the loss of _his son._" Hiccup turned away and faced the glowing hearth, his voice much lower and sadder when he spoke. "No one on Berk even missed me."

Astrid felt like a knife had just pierced through her chest. Ever since he'd taken her, she learned just how different Hiccup was now, and how so much of him remained the same. Maybe he was right, maybe no one did miss him. She remembered how quiet the village was in the weeks following his apparent death, but it wasn't like anything changed. In fact, everyone _had_ seemed different after it; they were relieved! With Hiccup gone no one had to worry about keeping him out of trouble lest the whole island go up in flames. Maybe no one had missed Hiccup Haddock, son of Stoick and heir of Berk…no one but her.

"I missed you." Astrid said quietly.

Hiccup turned his head and starred at her with a pained and angry look. "Don't lie to me Astrid."

"I DID miss you!" She blurted out as she got to her feet. "You were…I mean, you-you went up against a Night Fury and…you told me to run. I thought you died protecting me…"

Hiccup huffed "You sure you weren't just happy I wasn't there to steal your thunder anymore?"

Astrid curled her fists. "I thought I failed you, you ass!" Hiccup's expression lightened a bit, but he remained skeptical. "I wanted to know what was going on, and then _that_ dragon," She pointed to Toothless. "came out of nowhere and I…you charged it and it hurt you and I just…"

Hiccup watched her, shocked to say the least, but remained quiet. Astrid clenched her eyes shut as a few tears ran down her cheek before she looked down at her feet.

"I should have been the one to save you, not the other way around. I…I was a coward. I left you, bleeding, underneath a dragon who looked ready to kill you…and I just ran…I failed."

Astrid dropped back into her seat and let her head hang low. Hiccup looked at her then to Toothless, who gave his friend a sad look. Hiccup swallowed a lump in his throat before speaking.

"Astrid…you didn't fail."

"Yes I did." She sniffed as a few tears dropped to the floor. "I left you to die and…and you dad he-he..."

Hiccup rushed over and placed a hand on her shoulder and knelt down beside her.

"Astrid, you don't-"

"He _hated _me." She said the words in the same scornful way Hiccup had. "He blamed me for your death and…and he was right! I was weak, I was a coward, I-"

Hiccup could feel tears of his own forming. He reached over, and though she at first flinched, he gently grasped her chin and had her look into his eyes. The two of them shared the same sorrowful, shameful look.

"Astrid, if anyone is a coward it's me, _not _you. I was the one who tricked everyone, _not_ you."

Astrid said nothing and sniffed away a few more tears. There were so many emotions running through her that she didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry." Hiccup's voice was quiet and soft as he hung his head. "I'm the biggest idiot to ever live. I never meant to hurt you or…make my dad treat you the same way he treated me…I couldn't even fake my own death properly without hurting someone."

"…Yeah *sniff* you kind of suck at everything."

Hiccup looked up in time to watch her snort out a sad laugh. Hiccup couldn't help but do the same as they both half laughed, half sobbed.

"Yeah…yeah I guess I really do suck."

They both couldn't help but laugh at there misery. They'd both done stupid things, Hiccup much more so than Astrid, that made them both feel alone and worthless. Now, if only for a brief moment, neither felt alone anymore; they felt…free. The mood was quickly ruined however by Astrid's roaring belly.

"S-Sorry." Hiccup said as he straightened up and wiped his tears. "You must be starving."

"Yeah…I little." Astrid replied, rubber her own tears away and trying to put on a strong face.

Hiccup rushed to the side and began preparing a meal for her. While he did, Astrid took a moment to compose herself and think. She still needed to decide what she was going to do, and whether or not she should bring up Loki. It was clear she wasn't going to be leaving any time soon, but she also didn't want to disrupt the fragile peace they seemed to have just made.

"H-Here." A wood plate was presented before her. It was the same food as the night before; a cooked fish, an apple, some cooked leaks, and a fork. "Sorry it's the same as before. I haven't been to a market in a few days, and I didn't expect to be feeding someone besides myself and Toothless.

Astrid smiled and used her fork to eat this time. "It's fine, thank you." She took a bite out of the fish, and this time it tasted really good. "I, um, never knew you could cook."

She watched as Hiccup threw a raw fish into Toothless's waiting mouth before taking a seat.

"Oh yeah well, only a little. It was mainly to try and impress you."

Hiccup's eyes went wide the moment he said it. Astrid nearly choked on a bit of food in her mouth, coughing a bit to breath before staring at him.

"You…tried to impress me?"

Hiccup swallowed hard, but it was already to late. He rubbed the back of his head and gave a sheepish smile, and Astrid swore she saw his cheeks go pink.

"Er, well, yeah…I, um, kind of had a crush on you…I thought it was painfully obvious, but you never seemed to notice…or care."

"Oh." It was all Astrid could muster to say. She _had_ noticed, sort of. He'd always been the odd one out and Astrid had noticed it. He'd been weird, but no one else thought like he did. Whenever she'd come to get her axe sharpened, she'd see all his notes and crazy blueprints scattered around Gobber's workshop. He never belonged on the battlefield, but he'd always been so intent on getting out there and helping, even if he did always mess things up. He was never where he was supposed to be, but that's what made him interesting.

"So," She started as she took another bite of fish. "what made you think I'd be interested in someone who could cook?" There was a bit of a smug tinge in her questioning.

Hiccup blinked. "Well, er, woman are usually the ones who cook, so I thought, you know…maybe you'd at least talk to me if made good food. For a fifteen-year-old it was sound logic."

Astrid giggled but quickly stopped herself. Hiccup must not have noticed because he didn't comment on it, something he surely would have had he noticed. Still, she was curious to know what else he might have done to attract her to him.

"Not to bash your cooking skills, but I was never that kind of girl. If you had a scar from battle, then maybe. If you'd killed a dragon then definitely." She didn't even realize the smile she was giving him. Hiccup did though, but he wasn't sure how to interpret it, so he just kept talking.

"That's why I build a bola launcher. I knew if I wanted to impress you I'd need to take down something big…" Hiccup turned his head and looked over at Toothless, and he smiled. "I guess without you, Toothless and I would have never met."

Astrid stopped eating and looked at him. The way he looked at the dragon; it could only be described as pure, unrestricted love. That dragon, Toothless, meant more to Hiccup than anything in the world. She still had her doubts about the beas-er, about Toothless, but she couldn't deny the bond he and Hiccup shared. Maybe Hiccup was right…or maybe it was all a trick. So long as he didn't attack or threaten her, she would tolerate him…for now.

Hiccup cleared his throat and stood. "Well, me and Toothless need to head out."

Astrid dropped her fork and looked up at him. "Excuse me?"

"Toothless and I go flying every day, it's kind of what we do in our spare time."

"And you're just going to leave me here, again?" Astrid crossed her arms, but she wasn't mad.

"Believe it or not Astrid I trust you…please don't prove me wrong." There a clear desperateness in his voice that she caught onto. "We won't be gone long. When I get back we can talk more."

Astrid wanted to be upset, but the fact that he said he trusted her deterred all thoughts of anger. She had to accept the fact that she was going to be here for a while, a _long_ while. Astrid nodded and watched the two exit out the front door. Toothless stopped before leaving and looked at her, before doing a very bizarre thing; he winked. Astrid shook her head and blinked, but they were gone. Alone once again with her thoughts, Astrid thought about everything that had happened.

The Hiccup she'd spoken with today was not the same Hiccup she'd known as a young girl, but in the end that was a good thing. Hiccup was older and more mature, but he was still Hiccup. There was so much she wanted to know, and a lot more she needed to say, and a hard punch or two she needed to give, but for right now she needed to make a choice. It was clear Hiccup had no intention of returning her to Berk; he'd been very clear about that, but she wasn't going to give up. He'd have to take her back eventually, the question was, did she _want_ to go back? Truthfully, she didn't know, but she knew she couldn't stay here forever. She was a Viking, and nothing Hiccup could say or do would make her think otherwise, _especially_ when it came to how she felt about dragons. Just because Toothless was friendly didn't mean all dragons were, there was three-hundred years' worth of proof to back her up.

The real choice came down to Hiccup and his…_guide_. Loki was the god of mischief and tricks, and from what she believed he'd been influencing Hiccups choices for a long time now. Keeping a dragon as a pet was one thing, but consorting with a god was another, specifically when that god was known for causing chaos and havoc for mortals. She would need to confront Hiccup about it and learn the truth behind the kind of relationship he had with the god and the things Loki was making him do. His illusions must have been the reason Hiccup was attacking Berk, as well as many of the other tribes that lived in the Barbaric Archipelago. Astrid didn't know what she could do about it, but maybe if she talked to him she could convince him he didn't need Loki's help anymore. With Loki gone, she could make him stop the dragon raids; even if he wasn't leading them, surely he could stop them.

There was a lot she needed to think about, but right now she was too focus on food. Even after she licked her plate clean she was starving, and Hiccup had to have more food lying around. He said when he got back they'd talk more, and for Astrid, that was enough.


	6. Thinking

Sorry for updates taking a bit longer than normal. I've been feeling kind of sick the last few days and havn't been much in the writing mood, but I should start feeling better hopfully soon.

Also sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than others. There's a lot more soon to come but I didn't want to throw it all into one super long chapter.

Last note, this chapter gets a tad naughty, but nothing deserving of M rating yet, that will come later. Still you have to plans the seeds before anything can grow. Please let me know what you think as your input is very valuble to me.

Thanks for reading.

* * *

Hiccup waited just beyond the tree line and held his breath. He watched and waited, until finally breathing a sigh of relief and heading off with Toothless. He just needed to make sure Astrid didn't do anything crazy this time.

A lot was going through the young dragon riders mind as he and Toothless soared through the air. The last few days had been exhausting, but he was strangely happy with most of it. Astrid's 'sacrifice' provided many possibilities, as well as deterring many others. If he could teach her, make her understand the truth about dragons, then maybe there was hope after all. Then again, his fathers' actions only further solidified what Hiccup knew would always remain true; Vikings would never change.

Astrid was indeed going to hard problem to answer. Of all the Vikings and all the girls in all the world, it was Astrid Hofferson whom they'd given her. Loki told him they'd get desperate enough to resort to this, but he never imagined they'd give him _her_. Maybe it was sheer coincidence, maybe it was cruel fate, maybe Loki planned the whole thing. He knew pretty much everything about Hiccup, and it wasn't out of the god's powers to orchestrate something so…ironic.

Hiccup took a deep breath and leaned back. "So bud? Think Astrid's going to see reason?"

Toothless let out a short warble of dragon speak, but Hiccup got the meaning.

"Yeah, I'm thinking that to…do you think we did the right thing? Taking her from Berk I mean."

Toothless shrugged, an expression he'd learned from humans meaning he didn't know the answer. Hiccup just starred off into the distance and let his thoughts wander.

"Sometimes I think about how different things could have been. Maybe if I'd talked to Astrid back then things could have turned out better. Maybe she would have listened, maybe even understood the way I did…"

Toothless gazed back to his rider. He rarely spoke about the past, but when he did it was always a depressing discussion. Toothless lived in the moment, and he didn't understand why his friend couldn't do the same. Maybe it was a human thing.

"No." He said quietly. "The more I think about it the more I realize how much worse things would have gone. Even if Astrid had listened, I would have still had to face that Monstrous Nightmare with all of Berk watching. None of them would have ever understood…least of all my dad."

Hiccup let out a saddened sigh. It'd been five years since they'd left, and while he knew he'd made the right choice, he never fully forgave himself for it, and probably never would. He and Toothless had set out to escape what would have surely been death for one of them and, at best, banishment for the other. They never did look back, and for three years the duo experienced many great wonders and even greater perils. They'd fought pirates, bandits, trappers, and all other manner of low-life's, and those were just the humans. Hiccup's greatest discoveries, and challenges, were always the new dragons he encountered. Some dragons were powerful but gentle, while others were destructive and malevolent. He learned firsthand that not all dragons could be reasoned with, and many of those encounters ended with bloodshed. Perhaps just like humans, most dragons were kind and understanding, but there were those few whose sole purpose in life was to spread misery and terror wherever they went.

_Not so dissimilar to humans indeed. _

The journey hadn't been a kind one either, not by a long shot, especially during their first year out on their own. Hiccup learned, quite miserably, how little he'd actually known about how to survive. Had he not had a dragon that could breathe fire he would have most likely died within a weak just from exposure. Whenever trouble came 'round, Hiccup _always_ ended up running and would _always_ be saved just in time by Toothless. This quickly led to the dragon becoming very protective of his rider, but not all their encounters ended in a fight. They'd met some very interesting and helpful characters along their way, many of whom helped Hiccup in ways his own father should have but never did. By the time Hiccup turned eighteen he knew how to fight, hunt, fish, survive; hel, he'd even learned a bit of carpentry, enough to build and furnish to humble shack at least. Above all, Hiccup learned to accept himself, and to accept that he was different from all other Vikings. He may have the blood of a Viking, but his soul was that of a dragon. So long as he had Toothless, he was whole.

The two of them had never planned on coming back though. Hiccup thought about it a lot over the years, but he always felt there was nothing they could do to change things, and some things just couldn't be changed. Fate however had other plans, beginning of course with the acquirement of a godly guide, literally. The story of how he and Toothless met Loki was a long and regret-filled one. If he'd had the choice, would he have done things differently? He didn't know, but he made his choice and it led him back here; to a life they'd both swore never to return to.

Hiccup shook his head. It was too early to be in a somber mood and debating past choices wasn't something he wanted to do. His focus needed to be on Astrid, and just what the hel he was going to do with her.

"You know, I really do think I can change her mind about dragons."

Toothless eyed his friend with a doubtful look.

"I'm serious." Hiccup frowned. "I'm not saying it's going to be easy…or painless, but I think I have a real shot, and if I can't well…I haven't thought that far yet, but I have to try, _we_ have to try. Just try not to freak her out or anything, try being…cute, or something."

Toothless grumbled to himself. He was a dragon! He was NOT cute! As the humans put it, he was 'the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.' That description always made him happy, even if it wasn't _entirely _true. Still, he knew what Hiccup meant and he didn't want to upset him. So long as the human girl didn't do anything crazy or foolish, he'd do his best to seem…_cute._

Hiccup smiled and patted Toothless's side. "Oh don't give me that, besides, it's not you I'm worried about. Astrid's always been stubborn, and headstrong, and tough…and loyal…and persistent…and really, _really _hot…"

Hiccup's imagination knew no bounds. As a boy he'd always been attracted to her, and how could he not? She was the perfect Viking; strong, smart, independent, and she didn't put up with anyone's bullshit…except maybe his toward the end. She'd been pretty, beautiful even to his young, fifteen-year-old eyes, and he'd had the biggest crush on her. Now, after five years, she became even more striking than before. Her body, her hips. Her breasts! Good gods, how could a Viking woman look that stunning _and_ be that smart _and_ be that strong _AND_ be that…perfect! She had to have been touched by Frigg as a baby, it was the only logical explanation. The only thing he had left to wonder was what she had under all that armor.

Toothless eyed Hiccup with a questioning and judgmental look. Hiccup noticed and quickly wiped his mind clean.

"W-What? Don't give me that look. It's not my fault she grew up to be so…" Toothless raised a scaly brow. Hiccup frowned. "Shut up, no one asked your opinion."

The all-knowing dragon rolled his eyes and flew onward. Humans were curious creatures, especially when it came to mating. Hiccup didn't stand much chance of being the female's mate, though if he did their offspring would surely grow to be smart and strong, a good combination for any young spawn. Hiccup tried not to seem embarrassed, but the damage was done. Great he thought, not only was his childhood crush now living with him, but he _still _had a crush on her, and now his dragon knew.

_Odin strike him._

Xx-xX

Astrid's afternoon proved to be extremely…boring. After she'd eaten half of all Hiccups food, there was little for her to actually _do_. She explored Hiccups home, which really was as small on the inside as it looked from the outside. Besides the main room, which was the largest part of the house, there was only the bedroom, and a small storage room where she'd first been tied up at her first night here. Besides all that, there was nothing. It seemed Hiccup and his dragon lived a very simple life. Obviously having company over had not been a previous thought.

Her investigation brought her outside, which lead to where she believed Hiccup would spend most of his time. The workshop, if it could even be called that, had all the bare necessities a blacksmith would need. There was a good sized forge with bellow, an anvil, a foot-powered grindstone, a workbench, a tanning rack, and a smelter. The whole area was covered by four posts and a roof, as well as a single wall behind most of the equipment. Seated between the workbench and smelter was a small table with papers and notes strewn about carelessly, and resting on a small rack above were a handful of raw ores and some refined ingots. Hiccup had worked in Gobber's shop since he was _a wee 'lad_, as Gobber had put it, so it only made sense he continued his blacksmith trade even in self-imposed exile. Astrid rummaged through the papers, most were just scribblings and scratch work, but a few actually looked interesting.

~Megapult: Crossbow with two layers of limbs. Can shoot up to ten arrows at once.~

_Hmm, not bad._

~Death Song Amber Glasses: Lenses made with Death Song amber. Allows viewing extremely bright areas or objects without any ill effects.~

_I don't even want to know what a Death Song is._

~Inferno, the Dragon Blade: Retractable and ignitable sword coated with Monstrous Nightmare Saliva. Useful for defense, but also convinces wild dragons the wielder is one of them. Can also release small amounts of Hideous Zippleback gas which can be ignited to pacify dragons or intimidate foes.~

_Wow. I'll give Hiccup this; he knows how to think outside the box._

Astrid fumbled through a few more pages and was about to walk away when something caught her eye. At the very bottom of the stack she pulled out a large parchment, which contained the blueprints for a…tail? The more she studied it, the more she began to realize what it meant.

_His dragon has a prosthetic tail fin?!_

Now that she thought about it, one of Toothless's tail fins was different. It was red, with some sort of skull-helmet image painted in the center. No one would ever think twice about it, but it was unmistakable. One of the first things they'd learned in dragon training was that if a dragon's wings or fins were hurt, or missing, they couldn't fly, and were effectively dead already.

But Hiccup had rectified that problem. Not only had he been telling the truth as a boy of shooting down a Night Fury, but he must have also caused the dragon's injury, and instead of killing him, Hiccup saved him, and not only that, but he'd given the dragon its flight back. A strong, strange feeling hit Astrid like a sack of bricks. It was just such a bizarre concept, yet it screamed Hiccup. If anyone had the ingenuity, and stupidity, to design and construct an artificial dragon tail, and then use said tail on a real dragon, it could only have been Hiccup. Only Hiccup could have done something so…so…

_Amazing._

That's what Hiccup was. Everything she saw, everything he'd done; it was simply astonishing. He was by no means right in what he had done, but the fact that he'd been able to do any of the things he'd done was truly something to behold. He was smart, there was no denying that, but he was more than that to. He'd tamed a dragon, a Night Fury no less, and given it its flight back. Who else but Hiccup could have done such a thing? At fifteen he faked his own death and ran off on the back of a dragon, something that never _ever_ should have or could have been done, and yet he had done it. Five years later he'd returned, masked and guided by a god, and began wreaking havoc against his own people, as well as all those who lived in the Barbaric Archipelago. He was older, and he was different, but he was still Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, son of Stoick the Vast, and heir to the throne of Berk…though it seemed he cared nothing for his own people now. Hiccup was a man among dragons, and that was an amazing, terrifying, and unbelievable thing to accept, but it was the truth. The only thing more amazing than all that was the fact that, as far as she knew, she was the only one who knew any of this. Perhaps it was fate, or maybe it was just coincidence, she didn't know or care. All she knew for certain was that Hiccup…Hiccup had changed, and in more ways than one.

Of course she'd noticed how different he_ looked_, how could she not? He was taller, his shoulders broader…gods, was Hiccup actually attractive? As much as she hated to admit it, yes, he was attractive, she was…no, no she was NOT attracted to him, was she? She couldn't be, not after everything he'd done; running away, making her feel guilty, _almost killing her_! She refused to let herself even entertain the idea that she was in the least bit turned on by him…but she couldn't deny that he looked very handsome.

_Odin smite her._

Astrid slapped herself. Gods what was wrong with her. Astrid had never had these kinds of thoughts before, and she wouldn't start having them now. She was Astrid Hofferson, loyal Viking of Berk. Hiccup was…he was a traitor and had allied himself with the dragons, and he needed to be stopped.

…

…

…

_That was it!_

It all made sense now, why she was picked as a sacrifice, why Freya had come to be her guide. Her purpose here was to stop Hiccup once and for all, it was her destiny! Astrid's sudden newfound purpose ignited a fire in her soul like none before. She wasn't just a Viking; she was the _best_ Viking. She'd vowed to end the dragon menace, and now she finally had the means of seeing that vow realized. Hiccup was the Dragon Master; he knew how to control them and was the only one who could make them stop. He was the key to ending this war, and if he wouldn't, or couldn't, put an end to the fighting, then she'd at least make him answer for everything he'd done. He'd hurt her, but more than that he'd betrayed his own kind in favor of the dragons. Whether or not he was influenced by Loki made no difference, he was a traitor to all Viking-kind and would be brought to justice.

Astrid's leap to such narrow-sighted and one-sided conclusions were truly something to behold in their own right, but she cemented herself in her views. Whatever feelings of hope and happiness she'd felt for Hiccup earlier were quickly buried, and atop them grew a deep resentment for the man he'd become. He'd betrayed them, betrayed her, and he couldn't be forgiven. Astrid would need to be very careful and smart from now on if she was going to have any hope of ending this war. She'd need to gain his trust, that was the most important thing. Once she knew enough about him, his plans, and his means of controlling the dragons, she'd need to find a way to let Berk know. If she couldn't figure out a way to force Hiccup to stop the dragons, then Stoick was the only other one who would have any chance. It was a lot to think about and a lot to plan, and she'd have to take it one day at a time, but now her path was set, and she would see it fulfilled.

Astrid made sure to leave the forge the same way she'd found it as best she could. She needed to make sure Hiccup never suspected her, which meant she was going to need to start acting. The sooner she could gain his trust, the sooner she could end this war.

She looked up. The sun was about at early evening. Hopefully Hiccup would be back soon, both to end her boredom and so she could begin prying him for information. Until then, all Astrid could do was wait, and contemplate all the ways she was going to make Hiccup pay once this was all over.

Xx-xX

Hiccup synched the bag of fish closed. After a few well-deserved hours of flying and maneuver training the two decided it was time to head back home. Hiccup realized that Astrid most likely ate a lot more then what he'd given her, so he had Toothless go 'fishing' for more food. The dragon happily obliged and caught several mouthfuls of fish, eating most of them in the process but leaving enough for the two humans and more for himself later. They landed on a small island so Hiccup could pack up what Toothless had left him, and they were about to take off when they suddenly heard a faint noise. Toothless's ears instantly perked up, but it didn't take long for his companion to do the same. They knew that sound; the sound of a large herd of dragons all flying together. Hiccup was the first to spot the raiding party headed southwest, right for the Bob-Burglar Islands. The flock of dragons didn't look to big, but that was by no means a good sign. A smaller herd usually meant bigger and more deadly dragons, meaning this was an attack raid, not a food raid.

Hiccup waisted no time hopping on Toothless's back and getting in the air. Normally they'd already be prepared, but his whole schedule had been thrown off and his armor was back home. If they hurried, they'd hopefully arrive at the Viking village shortly after the raid began, but every second they weren't there was the potential for more dragons and Vikings to be hurt or killed. Toothless soared at a blinding speed back toward home, always welcome an opportunity to prove just how fast he really was. What didn't help was the growing cramp in his belly from all the fish he'd eaten. He would make Hiccup scratch and rub him all over once they were done, and that was always something to look forward to.

Xx-xX

"Shit, shit, shit!"

Astrid nearly jumped out of her own skin when Hiccup came barging in. One moment she'd been deep in thought, formulating future plans, and the next Hiccup and his dragon were barging through the door yelling. By the time she'd fully stood up Hiccup had already run past her into his bedroom, leaving Toothless and her alone by the fire.

"What in Thor's name is going on?" She barked, though all she got was a blank stare from the dragon. She blinked, realizing that she directed her question at a dragon, before stomping towards Hiccup's room.

"Hiccup! What the hel are you-"

She pushed open his door, only to quickly shut it with shrunken eyes. She hadn't seen anything explicit, this time. He'd only been down to his underpants, but that was more than enough. She stood, feeling a bit embarrassed and sheepish before hearing him reply.

"S-Sorry, um… there's a raid happening." His voice was rushed and muffled as he fit his armor on. "Me and Toothless are going to go keep things under control as best we can…"

The door opened and Astrid froze. There he was, the Dragon Master in his full glory. For a brief second a twinge of fear ran down her spine, but it quickly subsided with the knowledge of who was under the mask. Even so, it was hard for her to see the two as the same person, and it only made her deep resentment of him grow more. He looked at her, though only his eyes showed any proof that he was indeed human.

"We'll talk more tomorrow, I promise."

Perhaps it was just the mask, or maybe Hiccup changed when he donned his armor, but he was far more commanding and direct now than he'd been before. She couldn't find the words to argue, or to say anything really, so she just nodded and watched him walk away. His footsteps were heavy as he walked back to his dragon and untied a small sack. He hastily threw it on the dinning table before giving her one last look.

"It's fish again, sorry. I'll see if I can snatch some better food before I come back."

And without another word, they were gone again. She could faintly hear them take off, but she almost ran to the floor when she heard the all-to-familiar screech of the Night Fury flying off at top speed. Astrid stood in silence, and a strange feeling briefly washed over her. She was alone again, but it was different this time. When he left, she felt…abandoned, and she didn't know why. He would be back of course, but she didn't know when, and somehow that worried her.

Not that she actually cared about him or anything, that would be ridiculous. Hiccup made it clear that he cared more for the dragons than his own people, so it shouldn't bother her if he got hurt, or never came back. If anything, that would make things so much easier and she could escape back to Berk quicker than ever…but she knew that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to go home of course, but she was here for a reason, and that reason was to end the war. She took a seat by the fire again and starred into the burning embers, her mind wandering from one thought to the next. Somehow, she knew it was going to be a long night.

Xx-xX

* * *

Oh Astrid, why do you have to be so arrogant? Just because your childhood friend lied to you, faked his own death, left you feeling guilty for five years, came back on a dragon, began attacking your village, took you as a sacrifice, made you think you were going to be eaten, made you pass out twice, and threatened to kill you, doesn't mean you should lie to him for your own personal aggenda. That's just not nice. :)

Please like and review. ^^


	7. Theft

*FORGOT TO MENTION*: This story has reached 5K+ views and I couldn't be happier. Thank you all for the support and love. It really means a lot.

Yay new chapter! I was going to have this out a day sooner but I get side tracked and just didn't, so sorry for that. Anyways not much to say for now. As always please let me know what you think and if there are any spelling mistakes then please tell me. I'd say a few more chapters and we'll be at the end of part 1 of this stories journey, so stay tuned for more to come ^^ Thanks for reading.

WARNING: The last little bit of this chapter has an implied darker tone. Nothing is directly said, but with a bit of thought you'll understand what's being implied. The characters in this story have very different personalities than their movie counterparts, so please keep that in mind moving forward. Thank you.

* * *

Ah the Bog-Burglars, what more was there to tell? A tribe composed entirely out of big, brawny, and mean looking women. They were one of the oldest Viking tribes to settle in the Barbaric Archipelagos, almost as old as the Hairy Hooligan tribe, but not quite. They were strong, tough, and exceptional warriors who could fight just as well as any man, and some even more so. There chieftess, Big-Boobied Bertha, was a strong and capable woman whose leadership and hot temper rivaled that of Stoick the Vast. The two tribes had been in a long-standing feud over the theft of a shield that once belonged to one of Stoicks ancestors, however they had always remained close allies of Berk and its people.

Dragon attacks were once a rare thing to occur on the Bog-Burglar Islands. About three years ago, raids began to slowly but surely increase, so much so that they had to begin building new defenses and fortifying old ones. That first year was rough, with numerous deaths and countless losses of livestock. Had things continued as they were, the Bog-Burglars would have seriously had to think about reaching out to the other tribes for aid, something that would have been a massive blow to there pride and ego. Luckily, if that was even the right term for it, the Dragon Master 'helped' them keep their independence.

Unlike Berk, who's chief regarded the Dragon Master as the ultimate evil, the Bog-Burglars saw him a bit differently. They still hated and feared him of course, no doubt about it, but they somewhat understood what it was that he was doing. Since raids had been such a rare thing in the past, most Bog-Burglars weren't prepared for the kind of chaos and destruction the dragons brought down on them, and although they were all warriors, few had the experience or knowledge of how to _actually _fight dragons, let alone whole swarms of them on a semi-regular basis. Many Bog-Burglars lost their lives within the first year of the increased attacks, but then everything changed when Dragon Master arrived.

Many Bog-Burglars owed him their lives, but they would never openly admit it. That first night he'd arrived was one none of them could forget, least of all Camicazi, the chieftess's daughter. Toward the end of the raid, Camicazi had been helping a few women leave a burning home, and just as they had all gotten out, a terrible blast of lightning struck the house and created a large explosion that sent everyone falling back. Camicazi had gotten the worst of the blast and had been sent soaring through the air before landing hard on her back in the middle of the village, barely conscious and unable to move. Though it had been raining, the lightning strike hadn't been a natural one. The striker-class dragon, a Skrill, had landed just feet from where Camicazi had laid, intent on frying the young Bog-Burglar heir to a crisp. No human being could have acted fast enough to stop the terrible beast, no human except the one that rode a Night Fury.

The piercing scream was heard for only an instant before the mass of darkness planted itself between the Skrill and Camicazi. The Night Fury had let out a loud, fierce roar at its lightning-based cousin, but the Skrill did not back down, and released its own aggravated roar. The two dragons had glare at one another for what had felt like an eternity, but the mood quickly shifted once the rider had dismounted his dragon. Every Bog-Burglar woman on the island had watched in amazement and horror at the appearance of the scale-cladded man who'd dismounted the Night Fury like a horse and approached the Skrill unfazed. The Dragon Master had stood between his Night Fury and the Skrill and done something truly horrific; he'd reached out and tried to touch it. The Skrill however would have none of it and had let out another terrible scream before charging a large blast of lightning within itself. The Dragon Master, having known this was most likely to happen, retrieved his sword from his belt and ignited his fiery blade. The Skrill had showed no signs of stopping, and as quick and as powerful as it could it let out a stream of lightning breath directly onto the Dragon Master. How it was possible would forever remain a mystery to the Bog-Burglars, but due to his knowledge of metal properties, and a bit of help from a god, the Dragon Master had not only survived the blast, but had absorbed all the Skrill's lightning into his sword, which crackled and hummed as electricity now coursed through the still burning blade. Everyone, including the Skrill itself was shocked beyond belief. Their astonishment had only grown at witnessing the Dragon Master spin his sword around and thrusting it toward the Skrill. From the blade, lightning akin to Thor shot out and struck the Skrill in the chest. The dragon, who had been unable to absorb the blast for mysterious reasons, had been sent flying back and screaming in anger and pain. With its pride forever scarred, the Skrill had let out one last terrible cry before vanishing into the night sky in a bolt of lightning. Ironically enough, the same Skrill would later go on to become a close ally of the Dragon Master, who'd unknowingly freed it from the control of darker, more powerful forces.

Once the Skrill had left and all other free dragons had flown away, the mysterious man turned and looked down at Camicazi. The girl had watched everything unfold in front of her and was petrified in place. The Dragon Master had starred at her for a moment, in truth just to make sure she was alright, before leaping onto his dragon once more. Whatever sort of praise or thanks the Bog-Burglars were going to give him had been quickly snuffed as they watched him free their captured dragons one-by-one. Those captured under nets were cut loose, the ones kept locked away in cages were freed, and any others that had been downed or injured were helped by those already freed. Chieftess Bertha had run to aid her injured and scared daughter that she didn't realize what had happened until it was over. The last thing she and her daughter saw that night was the Dragon Master hovering just above them. He never spoke, only starred with unseen eyes before vanishing into the night sky, only to ever be seen as nothing more than a shadow in the night during future raids.

That night, not a single Bog-Burglar had died, and it was all thanks to the Dragon Master. Since then, very few warriors have met their end at the claws of dragons, and fewer dragons at the hands of the Viking women. The Dragon Master was still their enemy, there was no question about that, but unlike their Berkian allies they did not want to see him dead. Stopped, captured; yes, but they came to respect him as a great warrior who fought for something they did not understand. That, and Camicazi found the whole 'mysterious stranger' act was a real turn on. Just think out it; Camicazi of the Bog-Burglars and the Dragon Master. The world would be theirs for the taking!

Xx-xX

Hiccup had been right. The raid tonight was solely an offensive one, which made his job a lot harder. There was about fifteen, maybe twenty dragons, and most were very aggressive types. The worst was a Singetail, which acted as the raid's leader. There was a handful of Changewings, a few Hideous Zippleback's, some very angry Rumblehorn's, and the rest were a collection of the more common dragons like Deadly Nadders and Gronckle's. Raids like these were meant to harass and weaken Viking villages, and were usually followed up by a much larger food raid within a day or so. The dragon queens were becoming smarter, and they made Hiccups job increasingly more difficult.

Hiccup did what he could to lessen the dragon's onslaught and was mostly successful, though as always it was a very stressful and taxing ordeal. The Rumblehorn's were the toughest to deal with, but with help from the Bog-Burglars he'd gotten them to fly off. Hiccup had given out a few warning shots toward some of the more aggressive women who'd come close to seriously hurting or killing a dragon, but otherwise he let them defend themselves and their homes. The Bog-Burglars seemed to have learned the Dragon Master's intentions and tried to restrain themselves as best they could, but their warrior-like nature sometimes got the better of them. Hiccup never denied a Viking the ability to defend him or herself against the dragons, but he kept the bloodshed as minimal as possible, and he _always_ made his anger known when a dragon was seriously hurt, and even more so when one was killed.

After a grueling hour of battle the dragons finally retreated. A few homes had been burnt down and a few more bones broken, but everyone on both sides came out alive, if not with at least a few new scars. Normally Hiccup would call it a night and fly back home to the sweet relief of few mugs of ale, but he'd told Astrid he'd try to get some better food and that's what he was going to do. While the Viking village slowly recovered, Toothless hid behind the back of the Bog-Burglar's Great Hall while Hiccup snuck into the kitchens. The interior wasn't to different from how he remembered Berk's great hall, and soon the smell of roasted meat guided him to his prize.

_Jackpot._

Most of the food strewn about had been in the middle of being properly prepared before the raid began, but there was still a lot left that was unspoiled and would go unmissed. Hiccup quickly got to work, throwing small amounts of raw meats, sweet fruits and exotic vegetables into a small sack. Hiccup unconsciously picked out foods which he knew how to cook, still clinging onto that childhood fantasy of somehow impressing Astrid. He'd just about finished his theft for the night when suddenly a door slammed shut and he turned to find his exit blocked. Standing just inside the now shut entrance was a short but ferocious girl with long, wild blonde hair. She wore a red shirt and skirt with a blue vest on top, and two large gold hoops hung from both her ears. Of all the people to run into tonight, this had been the worst.

_Camicazi…shit._

The now eighteen-year-old Bog-Burglar starred at the Dragon Master with glaring eyes. She stood slanted to one side, hands on her hips but ready to grab her sheathed sword at a moment's notice. She didn't look nearly as pissed off as he thought she'd be, which gave him a bad feeling.

"Just what in Odin's name do you think you're doing?" Her voice was more 'girlish' than Astrid's, but it was still firm and commanding. Hiccup said nothing and stayed completely still, which only got him a more narrowed-eye glare from Camicazi.

"Flying on the back of a dragon is one thing, but stealing from a Bog-Burglar? Hel no! That's our thing!"

Hiccup was a bit shocked, but his mask hid any and all expressions. Him and Camicazi had been friends as children, and even then, she'd been a wild and fearless girl. They'd gotten to know each other pretty well, and Hiccup once considered her one of his few, if his only, real friend. He never learned or cared to know how his 'death' had affected her, and up until now he had no reason to think about it. His thoughts would have to wait, as right now he was more concerned with getting back to Toothless than thinking about his past mistakes.

"I'm going to give you one chance buster." Gods, either she was really brave or really crazy, or both. "You either drop that sack of food and surrender, or I get to teach you how a Bog-Burglar deals with thieves. Your call."

Camicazi was clearly not going to back down, and Hiccup had no idea if this was a fight he could win on his own. There was no way he was going to surrender, and he was definitely not going to give up his newly acquired food, but Hiccup was smart and he knew how to play his character. He was the Dragon Master, the most feared man, and to some demon, in all the Barbaric Archipelago. He just needed to 'persuade' her not to get in his way.

The Dragon Master stood up straight and starred into the young Vikings soul with black, unseen eyes. His left hand clutched the small sack, while his right hand grasped his sword and flicked the metal blade from its sheath before it burst into flames. Camicazi tensed and reached for her sword, but the sudden eruption of her foes blade stayed her hand. He walked toward her slowly; a striking, imposing, and nightmare fueled image that would make even the bravest of Viking men shiver with fear. Camicazi was indeed afraid, but she was also _really _turned on by his show of power. He came to a stop just feet before her and stood at least a foot and a half taller than her. Camicazi's breathing hastened even more as he slowly rose his flaming blade and brought it closer to her, not enough to burn but close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off of it. He said nothing, but his silence only further aroused Camicazi.

"Please," Her voice was low and quaking as she slowly raised a hand toward his face. "let me see who you are behind that mask."

Just as her fingertips brushed the black scales, a hand reached over and grabbed her arm. She heard the thump of the sack it the floor and looked at his gloved left hand gripped tightly around her much thinner arm. She glared, but then went wide as she gazed into his emerald eyes. She'd never seen them before, but they were there, they were real. She starred into his eyes for what felt like an eternity, but as quick as it had happened it was over. The last thing she saw was him giving her a wink before she was shoved to the side and forced to watch him bolt out the kitchen door, sack in hand. Camicazi let out a Viking yell before chasing after him with her sword drawn, but it was already to late. By the time she got outside all she could do was watch him bolt into the air on his dragon and disappear into the night sky. She let out another frustrated scream before cursing so loud that even Asgard would hear it.

"GO FLEE BACK INTO THE SHADOWS YOU COWARD! I'LL MOUNT YOU AND YOUR DRAGONS HEAD ON A SPIKE THE NEXT TIME YOU STEAL FROM US! I'LL STICK THEM THERE MYSELF; YOU HEAR ME YOU BASTARD!"

Hiccup couldn't help but laugh to himself as they flew home. Five years hadn't done anything to mellow Camicazi. If anything, she'd only gotten more crazy and more fearless. She wasn't much unlike Astrid actually, which made a terrifying thought ender his mind.

_Gods, are all women that crazy?_

…

_Yes, yes they are._

Xx-xX

Astrid hadn't been able to sleep. Too much was going through her head. She felt sad, angry, betrayed, relieved…there was so much to process, and she wasn't known for 'processing' her feelings that well. The more everything set it, the more she realized what needed to be done. Hiccup had betrayed everyone; her, his father, his village, his own species! He betrayed all that is was to be a Viking, but he was also the only one who could end the war. She didn't know what it would take, or how much she would have to sacrifice, but whatever the costs may-be she'd bring an end to the bloodshed once and for all.

She jumped again as the front door was thrown open. The Dragon Master…er, Hiccup, dragged himself in, clearly exhausted and ready to pass out. Astrid watched him unbuckle some straps before throwing its of his armor to the wayside without any care. Finally he pulled of his helmet and threw it to the side, and Astrid saw the face of her childhood friend once more. For a moment, she felt overjoyed again at seeing his face, to know that Hiccup was indeed alive, but those thoughts quickly faded. No, the Hiccup she'd known was dead. This Hiccup was her enemy.

Toothless snuck in behind him and happily made his way toward the firepit. Astrid tensed a bit as the dragon planted itself just a few feet away for her, not one hundred percent sold that it was indeed as harmless as Hiccup had claimed. Her gaze darted back to Hiccup who'd made his way back from a small pantry and sat down across from Astrid, two cups and a flagon in his hands.

"Thirsty?" His voice was drained of most of its chipper demeaner, but he tried to seem as upbeat as he could.

She blinked and watched him pour a beverage, ale from the strong smell, into a mug. He then offered it to her, and reluctantly she accepted. She'd had alcoholic drinks before, but never anything to strong and _never_ a full mug's worth. She nearly choked on the first sip and coughed at how bitter and tough the drink tasted. Her dismay only caused Hiccup to laugh as he poured himself a mug and took a large swig, downing it all in one gulp.

"Yeah, it takes a bit to get use to, but after a while you don't even taste it."

Astrid watched him take down the rest of his ale before pouring another full cup's worth. It was a very odd thing to see; Hiccup Haddock downing a full mug of ale without any recoil. He was even more different than she'd thought.

The two starred at the fire in total silence. Astrid wasn't sure what to say. It was at least midnight, probably even later than that. She was tired, but her drink kept her awake and focused. Finally, she looked over at him with a somewhat concerned look.

"So…how did it go?"

Hiccup said nothing at fist. He starred into the burning embers completely unresponsive, like he hadn't even heard her speak. Astrid watched him and waited, her anxiety weirdly peaking as the seconds ticked by. Finally, Hiccup took in a deep breath and rubbed his face with his left hand before seemingly coming out of some sort of trance.

"It was fine, I guess. No one got seriously hurt so that's a plus."

He took another, albeit slower swig from his mug before turning to look at Astrid. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she dropped her gaze and looked at the floor. Another few seconds of awkward silence passed before Hiccup spoke.

"You still don't know how to feel about me."

Astrid looked at him. She knew full how she felt about him. Hiccup the traitor, that's who he was, that's all she saw when she looked at him…but she needed to play her part until she knew more. As much as she wanted to lash out at him right now, she knew it would only worsen things, so instead she did her best to act ignorant.

"No…I don't." Her words spit from lying teeth, but Hiccup was none the wiser.

"Figures." He said through a scoff, but his tone quickly changed. "I mean…I don't expect you to understand in one night…especially after all that's happened."

His words caused Astrid to take another bitter gulp of her ale. She'd only be able to conceal her true thoughts so much. She needed to have a bit of on outlet for her pent-up frustrations.

"Yeah, this week hasn't gone _exactly_ how I thought it would. It's bad enough I got sacrificed to the most feared and hated man in the world. Now I have to live the rest of my life in a rundown shack with _you._"

If she had been trying to insult him, she failed. Hiccup let out a lighthearted chuckle which only caused Astrid to glare at him more.

"Look on the bright side Astrid. It could be worse."

"Just exactly _how_ could it be worse?"

"You tell me?"

Astrid froze. Maybe it was just the ale and Hiccup wasn't thinking right, or maybe it was some other factor…or maybe it all him. Whatever it was, his last words had sounded…mischievous, almost threatening. His face held a neutral expression, but she saw a twinkle of something more in his eyes the way he looked at her…it made her feel uncomfortable. Astrid blinked and looked away, feeling very cold all of the sudden despite the alcohol running through her veins.

Hiccup let out a big yawn. "Well, I'm drunk and tired now so I think I'm going to turn in. You can sleep in my bed again tonight. I'll sleep out here with Toothless." He was already moving closer to the dragon by the time he finished his sentence, and she watched him rest his head on Toothless's warm soft belly.

Astrid was still a bit shaken, but his offer was to enticing to refuse. She set her mug down and slowly rose to her feet. She still wore her torn and beat up robes from a few night ago, and she knew she'd need to get something new before she was left completely naked. Hiccup's eyes were already closed by the time she started walking away, and just as she reached the bedroom door she stopped to look back. Hiccup was asleep, but Toothless looked at her intently. She saw something in the dragon's eyes, something she couldn't explain but…it helped calm her nerves. Whatever silent message was conveyed between them would forever be a mystery, but one thing was perfectly clear. A promise had been made, and though she didn't know what it was, she felt lifted knowing that he'd given it to her freely. A smile crossed her lips before she entered the bedroom, and the dragon felt asleep curled around his rider.

That night Astrid fell asleep at peace, though why she didn't know. She had many reasons to be angry, upset…afraid, but none of them bothered her tonight. Her plans could wait until tomorrow, when Hiccup was awake and sober. For now she was safe, more so than she'd been in a very long time.

Xx-xX

All was quiet on Berk, as it had been the last few days. After what happened, everyone just kind of kept to themselves and went about their days as normal as they could. No one ever brought up _that_ night, but everyone was still in shock from what had happened; what their chief had done. While they wanted to believe it was done for a good cause, many knew the real reason behind why it happened, and why it had been her. Although the deal had been 'struck', there was no guarantee there'd be no more dragon attacks, so the village still remained on high alert each and every night. If it worked, then Berk would at last be safe and they could justify what had been done. If it didn't work…

Stoick sat alone starring into the fire. He watched as the embers burned and the wood cracked, each snap a reminder of his past, and the things he'd done. Since _that_ night, no one had seen or heard from the chief, and rumor had it that he wasn't even eating. The villagers had seen this once before when Hiccup had died, and if this was going to be anything like last time then they wouldn't see their chief for a long time. Most could only image what he must be going through, but only one person in all the world knew exactly what Stoick was really feeling.

The door to Stoick's home creaked open as Gobber waddled in slowly. The war-torn blacksmith was Stoicks best and most loyal friend, but he was also his harshest critic. It was Gobber who'd first spoken with Stoick after Hiccups death, and now he was here to talk to him again. Stoick didn't seemed bothered or in the least bit fazed by Gobber's appearance, who took a seat across from his childhood friend. Gobber looked at Stoick, then to the fire before looking back.

"You're not eatin'."

Stoick said nothing. Gobber kept his gaze on his friend and got right to the point.

"The village needs their chief." He said sternly.

"They'll live." Stoick replied dry and cold. This only made Gobber narrow his eyes in anger.

"Winter is just around the corner Stoick. You can't stay cooped up in here for a month…_again_."

Stoick kept looking at the fire, but his fists clenched in anger. "Say what you're going to say or leave."

Gobber leaned back in his chair and let out a frustrated sigh. "In all ta' years I've known you Stoick I never once doubted ya, but what you did to that girl-"

"There was no other way Gobber!" Stoick slammed his fist down and starred at the blacksmith, who was not in the least bit deterred by his chief's outburst.

"Bullshite! You _hated_ that girl, and fer what? They were kids Stoick, nothin could have changed what'd happened. You had no right ta'-"

"I had EVERY right, now get out of my house."

"That girl gave everythin' for this village, and _you_ gave her up like a sheep to be slaughtered."

"I said get out of my house!"

"Astrid was NEVER to blame for Hiccup's death, and you know it!"

Stoick's rage reached it's tipping point as he threw his chair out from under himself and stood over Gobber.

"I AM YOUR CHIEF AND YOU WILL DO AS I COMMAND. NOW GET THE HEL OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

Gobber looked up at his life-long friend with a disappointed scowl before slowly rising to his feet.

"Aye, you'll be my chief…when you start actin like one."

Stoick said and did nothing as Gobber let himself out. He stood there, alone once more, starring into the dying fire. The wood had split as much as it was going to that night, and now only dim embers and small flames lit the chieftain's home. Stoick slumped back into his chair and laid his face in his hands. Of all Gobber had said, he was right about one thing. Winter would be upon them soon, and he needed to get the village ready for the heavy snowstorms that would come. Whether or not his bargaining chip worked, the dragons didn't raid them during the colder months, which would give them time to rebuilt and fortify should they decide to return come spring. He knew of course that if it hadn't worked then they'd still receive raids for the next month at least…and all he'd done would have been for nothing.

Xx-xX

"_H-Hiccup! W-what are you doing?!"_

"_Something I've wanted to do for a long time Astrid."_

"_No! Stop! Hiccup let me go! AHH!"_

"_Quit struggling, or this is going to hurt a lot more than you want it to."_

"_NO! Get off of me! Hiccup stop. Please!"_

"_This is happening whether or not you like it, so best enjoy it while you can."_

"_Hiccup stop! STOP PLEASE!"_

"_You belong to me now Astrid, and I will do whatever I want with you."_

"_HICCUP PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU."_

"_Yes, you will beg. Now, hold on tight."_

"_NO! NO! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

Xx-xX


	8. Truths

Apologies everyone for the long wait. The past week has been a very busy one for me, but hopfully I will have a bit more free time before school starts again. Quick warning for language in this one, but this is M rated, you should know what you're getting into :)

I'll have a bit more to say at the end. Thanks for reading.

* * *

"AHHH!"

Hiccup nearly threw himself into the dead firepit when he awoke. He was breathing hard, like he'd just run a marathon around the island without stopping. He sat looking forward huffing in and out, in and out, trying to figure out where he was and what was happening. Mornings first light crept in through the windows and cracks between the roof. Hiccup's gaze was locked forward, until he finally turned and looked into Toothless's concerned eyes. A great burden was instantly lifted off his shoulders and he relaxed his tense body. He let out a deep, relieved breath as he rubbed his face with his hands. As he pulled them away, he heard his dragon give him a low, saddened coo.

"I'm alright bud." Hiccups voice was a bit shaken but otherwise normal. "Just a bad dream is all."

The overprotective cat-like dragon crawled to his friend and nuzzled in the boy's belly. Hiccup smiled and rubbed under his friends chin and rested his head on his. The bond they shared allowed each other to feel what the other was feeling. It was both a blessing and a curse, especially in times of great pain. Still, neither one wanted to lose it, and it only allowed them to be more connected than anyone would ever know.

Toothless's support was all Hiccup needed to feel better and finally get up. He was a bit hungover, but not enough to make him sick; just a tad dizzy. He also wasn't use to being up this early, but then again the last few days hadn't been what he would call 'normal'. He took a moment to stretch and yawn, thinking about all he needed to do today. Hiccup and Toothless would go flying for a bit, come home, work on the new saddle-enhancement, see what Astrid needed…

_Astrid._

It dawned on Hiccup that Astrid was _living_ here now, which meant he had to, well, take care of her! Then again, what did that really entail? She had food, water, a place to sleep; what more would she need? Her sudden reappearance in his life, _this life,_ was so sudden and unexpected that he hadn't had time to think about how things were going to change. He'd been so concerned about how she was going to react to him, being alive and all, that he hadn't thought about what things were going to be like now. Was she really just going to live here forever now? Would she just stay here sitting patiently while he and Toothless were either out protecting a village from a raid or exploring new islands and lands? While this house was technically his home, he didn't spend much time in it. He spent most of his days up in the air with Toothless where he felt alive and free, and despite how stressful and dangerous they were, he'd take fighting in a raid over sitting at home any day. Perhaps he had more Viking in him than he thought.

Both he and Toothless's ears perked at the low creak of wood, and a second later they turned to see Astrid. She had come from Hiccup's room and stood silently looking at them with tired but worried eyes.

"Umm…is everything alright?"

Hiccup starred at her in silence as a wash of memories poured through him. Even now, standing barefoot with bandages and tattered clothes, Astrid was…_angelic._ She was thin but strong, independent yet smart. She looked just as stunning today as she had five years ago, and he couldn't deny still having the same hopeless, child-like crush on her now as he had then.

Hiccup blinked a few times and cleared his throat.

"Ah, er, yeah. Just stubbed my toe is all."

He gave her an innocent enough smile and Astrid rolled her eyes. He was just as clumsy today as he'd always been. It was a wonder he'd survived this long still in one piece. Astrid crossed her arms and let out a big yawn before proceeding to scratch at her bandaged shoulder. Hiccup took notice and quickly move toward her.

"Oh hey, let me take a look at that for you." He stopped when Astrid tensed and glared at him, but he returned her look with his own. "If it stays on to long your skin will get damaged, now let me look at it."

Astrid wanted to stay defiant, but his stern look and tone forced her to concede. That and she didn't want to get anymore hurt than she already was. Hiccup took another few steps toward her before slowly unwrapping her bandages. She watched silently, a bit uncomfortable with him being this close and touching her. His hands felt coarse, but he was gentle as he worked to reveal her previously burned skin. She noticed her bandages were covered in a slimy, green looking substance, and that her skin looked almost completely normal again. She was astonished to say the least, and looked back at Hiccup, who wore a proud smile.

"Prickleboggle saliva. Good at healing almost any non-fatal wound."

Astrid just blinked, then looked back to watch him wipe off the remaining dragon spit from her arm. Had she not been so completely amazed she might have barfed at realizing what had been on her skin for the past few days. She reached over once he was finished and gentle ran her fingers across the area. It was still cold to the touch, but besides a low, almost unnoticeable dull pain her arm felt completely fine. She was still processing how amazing her healing was that she didn't even notice Hiccup kneel down and begin to undo the wrapping over her foot.

"Lift your leg please."

She shot her gaze down at him. It took her a second to realize what he was doing but she soon complied. She watched intently as he slowly unwrapped and clean her foot, and a chill ran up her spine when he delicately ran a finger along the arch of her foot. When he took his hand away she let her foot drop, and while still cold she felt no pain whatsoever. She flexed her toes as Hiccup rose back to his feet, and only looked back at him when she could feel his stare on her.

"Thanks."

That was all that came out of her mouth. In truth she was very grateful, but she wouldn't let him know that, he didn't deserve it. Hiccup gave her a look of '_that's all?'_ but didn't press her about it. Both of them starred at one another for the next few seconds without saying a word. There was a lot that could have and should have been said, but neither was willing to initiate the first step. After what felt like an eternity, Hiccup blinked, took in a deep breath, and turned to walk toward Toothless.

"Well, me and Toothless are going to go for a flight."

"A…flight?"

Hiccup stopped and looked at her, perhaps realizing his mistake.

"Er, yeah, our flight. We try to go at least a few times a week…but um, if you want me to stay we can-"

"Oh no, please," There was a clear hint of sarcasm and annoyance in her voice. "don't let me get in the way of your _morning routine._"

Hiccup looked at her with a somewhat confused look. "Umm, are you sure? I mean we-"

"You can go."

Her words were more a command than reassurance. Hiccup looked over at Toothless, who looked back at him with a titled, confused face. Astrid look at the dragon then back at Hiccup; clearly they were both idiots, though she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"Okay…um, we'll be back in a few hours then."

Hiccup didn't know how else to respond, so he just walked toward the door with Toothless following behind, his saddle still fastened on from the night before. Astrid watched them leave with an annoyed gaze, and once they were gone she rolled her eyes and let out an agitated groan. She'd come to know just how stupid men were when it came to the most obvious of things, and it was clear Hiccup was no different. She sat down on one of the wooden chairs and brought her foot up as far as she could. There were no signs of any burnt skin, not even any discoloration. She was still amazed that something as gross as dragon saliva was able to heal her to fast and so completely. Not even Gothi back on Berk could heal burns this good. She remembered faintly reading about the Pickleglob, or whatever it was called, in the Dragon Manual a few years back, but she never read about it being able to heal wounds. It occurred to Astrid that Hiccup probably knew more about dragons than anyone else alive, especially given how it seemed he was able to control them, or at least control the Night Fury. He could probably write his own Book of Dragons twice as long as theirs, though he'd most likely pollute it with pointless details on how _peaceful and intelligent and loving _dragons could be. He was a mad man, simple as that, which brought her thoughts back to what was most important. She'd learned something new today about his schedule, which meant she would have a few hours alone each week to plan and do what she needed to without him knowing. She still didn't have any sort of idea what it was exactly she was going to do, but at least now she had some time to think and explore. When he was back she could begin pressing him for details, and hopefully find out more crucial information that would help her make him end this war for good.

Xx-xX

Hiccup sighed and looked up at the blue, cloudless sky. After a good hour and a half of flying the two found a small rocky island where they could rest and relax before moving on. Another thing that made Hiccup more dragon than Viking was his love of the sun, and whenever he had the chance he'd lay back and soak up the rays for as long as he could. Toothless sat curled up next to him, a pile of fish in front of him that he'd slowly sift through and gulp down whenever he felt the need to. Usually they'd still be flying around, trying new tricks and improving past ones, but today Hiccup cut it short. Flying always cleared his head, but right now he needed to think about what to do next.

"You know bud" Hiccup started. "things are going to be a bit different now that Astrid's staying with us."

The oversized cat groaned and chewed down another salmon.

"I'm not going to cancel our flights so stop whining…but I'm serious Toothless. Astrid could be the key to everything we've been working for. If I can get her to understand that the dragons are being controlled, then maybe she can help us get others to understand to."

Toothless raised his head and looked at his rider with a flat, stern look. He loved his human and believed in his vision of a better future, but his imagination often got the better of him. Hiccup could feel the dragon's gaze upon him and sat up to look back at his pessimistic dragon.

"Don't give me that look. I…I know I shouldn't get my hopes up, and I know Astrid will probably never understand the truth…but I have to try."

Toothless wasn't just an intelligent dragon, but an understanding one as well. He knew how Hiccup felt and he wanted to help him as best he could. It would be nice to have another human around he could call his companion, perhaps even friend, but if the past five years had taught him anything it was that most humans think with their weapons first and their minds second…sometimes never. Toothless nudged himself over and laid his head in Hiccup's lap, who in turned began to run just behind his ears and under his chin.

"Thanks bud." Hiccup's tone was content, but he got serious soon after. "We have to watch her Toothless. Astrid's the smartest Viking I know, and as much as I want to trust her, I can't…not yet at least."

Hiccup raised Toothless's big bulky head so that the two locked eyes dead with one another.

"No matter what she does, you have to promise me you'll keep her safe, alright?"

Toothless gave Hiccup a pout-filled look, but Hiccup remained stern and serious, enough to make the dragon concede and nod. He didn't like being told to babysit the human female, but he knew this was important to Hiccup so he'd do the best he could. That…and he already promised to protect her, even if she didn't understand it yet. Hiccup gave Toothless one more good scratch before gentle shoving him away and getting his feet.

"Well let's head back then. Hopefully Astrid will be more openminded today."

Unlikely, but he had to remain optimistic. He knew he wouldn't be able to change her in one day, but maybe bit-by-bit he could get her to come around…or she'd forever stay arrogant and end up killing him in his sleep…most likely the ladder. Not wanting to waist anymore time, Hiccup mounted atop the back of his scaly friend and the two shot up into the sky, Hiccup slowly dreading the soon-to-be conversation.

Xx-xX

For the past thirty or so minutes Astrid had done nothing but stare at a wall and think. Once again she was bored out of her mind, and while she had thought about exploring more of the island, she wanted to be here the moment Hiccup returned. For the first time in her life she truly had nothing to do, and it was the worst experience she'd ever had. Astrid would gladly take _anything_ over absolutely nothing, but she still had a lot to think about and a lot to decide. She needed to learn all she could about Hiccup, and she was conflicted on how to start. The number one thing she needed to know was _why_! Why was he fighting for the dragons, why had he faked his death and left? If he'd been able to reason with a dragon as a boy, then why didn't he tell anyone? Astrid was mystified and infuriated by this question, but her thoughts were quickly cut short.

She spun around at the sudden noise of a dragon landing outside, and a few seconds later she watched Hiccup and Toothless enter. Hiccup's hair was blown back, and for a moment she almost thought he looked cute that way. His sudden headshake and combing of his hair back to its normal look snapped her out of her foolish thoughts, and she glared at him with a piercing stare.

"About time you got back."

Hiccup stopped in his tracks and starred at her, before closing his eyes and letting out a deep, overexaggerated sigh.

"And there go all my post-flight good feelings."

Astrid was unamused as she watched him chuckle and settle himself in. Toothless made his way toward the side of the room and sat down squarely on his hind legs, watching the two humans with interest. Astrid paid him no mind and kept her glaring eyes on her captor.

"We need to talk. Now."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and huffed in annoyance before taking a seat across from her. He never expected this to be easy; might as well get it over with.

"What is it you would like to talk about, Milady." He said with a half plastered, cheeky grin. Astrid, still, was not amused, and she let out her own frustrated sigh before looking at him with less glare and more…need.

"Hiccup…why did you leave?"

She watched his expression drop and his eyes grow heavy. She could tell he didn't want to look at her, but the two remained fixed in each other's gaze. The question had been asked, and Hiccup was forced to answer. His voice was much harsher and softer when he spoke; a clear twinge of regret behind every word.

"I had no choice. I couldn't kill that Monstrous Nightmare in the arena, and Toothless would've been killed if anyone found him. There was no other way."

She could tell his words were truthful, and strangely she understood what he meant. From his point of view it made sense to leave…but she still wasn't satisfied.

"You still didn't answer my question."

Hiccup looked at her with a confused and agitated scowl.

"What more do you want?" His voice slowly rose in frustration. "I couldn't kill a dragon and I wouldn't let one be killed, so what place did I have on Berk? I didn't belong there anymore…" Finally his eyes dropped and his voice went low again. "I _never_ belonged there."

And there it was. That was the answer to her biggest question, and she hated the answer. She hated it because it was true, because even as a boy Hiccup was so odd and so different that it made perfect sense why he would leave. No one had _hated_ him per-say, but he had always been a nuisance and _always_ found a way to make things worse. Add to the fact that he was the chief's son and she could begin to see just how hard his childhood must have been. Now was not the time for pity however, least of all for him.

"You could have told us about him." She accused and pointed to Toothless. She went to say more but was quickly cut off.

"Really Astrid?" His words were filled with frustration as his lips curled in a frown. "And how would that have gone? Everyone on Berk would have just laughed or called me crazy, and if I had tried to show them they would have gutted Toothless AND me! No one would believe me if I said that dragons weren't evil by nature, _you_ don't even believe me!"

Astrid opened her mouth to speak but said nothing. He was right, she didn't believe him, not fully. He had a pet dragon sure, and a Night Fury no less, but three-hundred years of war affirmed what every Viking knew from birth. Dragons were vicious, selfish, evil creatures who preyed on all those weaker than themselves. They destroyed and murdered anything they came across and had ruined the lives of everyone who called the Barbaric Archipelago their home. Just because Hiccups dragon was 'trained' didn't make it any less dangerous or evil. If anything, it showed her just how smart dragons were, which made everything they did that much worse.

Hiccup gave out a deep groan and buried his face in his hands. He knew what Astrid was thinking and he knew he wasn't getting through to her. He needed to just tell her the truth and hope she believed him. He rose his head up and looked at her with a stern yet pleading gaze.

"Astrid, I get it. I understand why you wouldn't believe me but please, hear me out." He waited, and when she didn't speak he took it as a sign to continue. "For generations, Berk and other tribes all over have been raided by dragons, but it's not because they want to, it's because they _have to_!"

Hiccup was clear to emphasize his last point, and while Astrid fought the urge to body slam him into the ground, she listened with all but borderline refusal of what he was saying.

Hiccup's tone got very serious, and very desperate, very quick. "The dragons that attack Berk are being controlled by a queen Astrid. They're forced to bring her food, and if they don't then they are eaten themselves." Astrid's expression slightly lifted as Hiccups words began to sink in.

"Everything we've ever known about the dragons is wrong. They're intelligent, gentle, and they're only dangerous when they feel threatened…"

Hiccup paused for a moment. His face had grown dark, and Astrid began to feel uneasy. The look he gave was enough for any Viking to feel anxious.

"It's a demon Astrid." He stared at her with a piercing, dreaded look. "The queen…I don't even think it's really a dragon it's…it's something else, something worse."

Astrid forced a hard swallow. A terrible dread had fallen over them, even Toothless looked worried as he dropped his ear fins and crouched lower to the floor. Hiccup sat rigid and unmoving, but his eyes were filled with passion.

"They do what they have to do to survive. I've only been to the nest a few times, and each time I went I almost lost Toothless to…to _it._" Hiccup gave his dragon a solemn look before turning back to Astrid. "It's like nothing you've ever seen Astrid."

Silence fell over them again as Astrid took in all Hiccup had said. She'd be a fool not to believe him, and she was shocked at how much sense it all made. Ever since the first settlers, Viking had been searching for the elusive Dragon Nest to no end, and for three-hundred year it had evaded their detection. They'd found islands that were home to handfuls of dragons, but the true nest where the vast majority resided remained unknown. They that after a raid the dragons would fly north-west toward and into Helheim's gate, yet any expedition into the fog-covered seas ended in death and destruction. Stoick had obsessed over finding the nest more than any chief before him, but like all his forefathers he never got any closer to finding it.

His son, however, had found it, and had actually been to it on multiple occasions. This new revelation sparked a fire in Astrid, and all Hiccups warnings and fears to her were thrown to the wayside.

"If what you're saying is true…you have to do something about it!"

Hiccup's face contorted into a shocked, confused look. "Excuse me?" He said with pure disbelief.

Astrid narrowed her eyes. "Hiccup you've been to the Dragon's Nest; the thing Vikings have been searching for since they first sailed here." She eyed him with a stern, 'check-mate' look. "You want to save you precious dragons and show the world how 'kind and gentle' they are? Then you need to take out the queen and end this war for good!"

Astrid felt like she'd just solved the world greatest problem, which technically she just did. For a brief moment she sat smug and satisfied, but it all quickly crumbled away by Hiccups flat, unamused face.

"Did you not listen to a word I just said? Or have you secretly always been the _stupidest_ Viking there is?"

Astrid blinked, then her moth gaped open, then she grew furious and glared at him. How _dare_ he insult her like this, and all because she told him what needed to be done. "HICCUP-" She started, but was quickly silenced.

"ASTRID!" His voice boomed as he jumped to his feet and stared down at her. "What do you not understand?! This isn't something that can just be killed!" His patience had reached its breaking point, and all of his hate of Vikings poured into every word he said.

"You can't say-" She started again but was silenced once more.

"I CAN say because I KNOW! You don't get it; you're acting like everyone else. You think only with your sword and _never_ with your head!" He slapped the side of his temple to emphasize his point before balling both his fists in rage.

"Dragon killing is _what we do!_ If you'd just tell you father he could-"

Astrid jumped and tensed as Hiccup punched his fist into the wood table. It hurt like shit, but he was too angry to care.

"TO HEL WITH MY FATHER!" He was absolutely fuming now, which caused Astrid a bit of distress, but she stayed firm. "I WILL NOT SEND BERK TO ITS DEATH BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL TO PROUD TO ADMIT THIS ISN'T A FIGHT YOU CAN WIN!"

Astrid clenched her jaw and starred daggers into Hiccup's soul. She had just about enough of Hiccup's idiocy and was about to call him out on being a coward when she stopped. It hit her, first slow and then like a punch to the gut. Gods, how could she be so blind? Her expression dropped, from anger and annoyance to a dark, bitter resentment. Her fists slowly balled, growing painful as her nails dug into her skin. Her mouth formed a terrible, disgusted frown as she looked up at him with an utterly repulsive gaze.

"That's just it, isn't it?" Her voice was low and dark, as if even speaking to him now made her want to vomit. Hiccup, who'd been looking away in his seething rage, shot his gaze back at her.

"WHAT?"

Astrid kept her unyielding stare upon him. "This has nothing to do with saving Berk, does it?" Hiccup said nothing, but she noticed a slight confusion in his raged state, which only made him more repulsing to her. "No, you don't care about us at all do you? All you care about are your FUCKING DRAGONS!"

It was Astrid's turn to jump to her feet and slam her fists into the table. It all made sense to her now, why he left, why he cared for the dragons. It was so painfully obvious she didn't know if she was more pissed at him or herself for not realizing it sooner.

"YOU COULDN'T GIVE A RATS ASS WHAT HAPPENS TO US! You'd rather see every man woman and child on Berk burn to death before letting a single person lay so much as a finger on your 'good-natured' dragons! And I know EXACTLY why you left. Poor little fucking Hiccup, no one liked him and he had no friends. You know what? You WERE the worst, everyone _hated_ that you even existed! You did nothing but cause chaos and havoc for anyone unlucky enough to have to ever interact with you. You're right Hiccup, you NEVER belonged on Berk, you were NEVER meant to be a Viking. You SHOULD HAVE died, that dragon SHOULD HAVE killed you, because then you wouldn't be here today to keep on FUCKING EVEYTHING UP like you ALWAYS DO! You are nothing but a selfish, uncaring, unwanted, traitorous MONSTER!"

…

…

. . .

Hiccup stood emotionless. There was no rage, no hate. Nothing. His eyes were empty and his soul hollow. Astrid's words had broken him, not because of how hateful they were, but because of how much true she'd laid bare for him to see.

That night there were two raids. The food raid on the Bog-Burglar Islands was the worst it had been in years due to the Dragon Master's absence. He'd never missed a raid before, but tonight he had other plans. Berk never expected or could have been prepared for the destruction he brought down on them that night. Their towers were obliterated, their armory melted down, and their hope greatly diminished. No one was hurt, he'd made sure of that, but now they were defenseless come any future raids against them.

Astrid saw him as a monster; it was time he started acting like one.

Xx-xX

* * *

So...Astrid's a bit thick headed isn't she? And Hiccup, man is he pissed now.

These two are not going to get along for a while, but things won't stay so grim...maybe. Please let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions or concerns. I read all my reviews, and each one is helpful.

And don't worry, the gods will be coming back into play soon. I've got some good idea's for them, so stay tuned! ^^


	9. Hurt

I'm posting this at 2:30 in the moring. You're welcome :)

Same as always. Please leave critisism, suggestions, grammer fixes ect. It means a lot.

I understand some people like warnings, but again this is an M story. You know what your getting into. That being said, warning for implied/almost attempted rape. I'm not going to give warnings anymore since I feel they take away from reading in the moment.

I'll have a bit more to say at the end. Thanks for reading.

* * *

The rush of wind, the sudden screams, and the massive explosion awoke Stoick from his slumber. The house shook violently, then again and again in sudden terrible bursts. He'd been waiting and dreading this moment. The dragons were back, his plan had failed. Jumping from his abused mattress, Stoick hastily put on his garments and furs before rushing out his front door, axe in hand. He was forced to shield his eyes as a great burst of purple struck another catapult tower before being enveloped in bright red and yellow flames. He looked around, eyes wide and stern, watching as his villagers' scrambles for safety or to fight. The fire towers hadn't been lit yet, so much of the village was still enveloped in darkness, besides the burning parts of course. Strangely, he didn't actually see any dragon's, which should have been his first red flag.

"STOICK!" He looked down the hill and saw Gobber running toward him. The stumbling Viking was already out of breath by the time he made it to his chiefs' side.

"What's the situation Gobber." Stoick demanded, still looking around for signs of more dragons. "How many have come?!"

Gobber wheezed and took a moment to catch his breath, and to prepare himself to tell Stoick.

"There's only one Stoick." Gobber swallowed hard when his chief shot him a shocked and angry glance. "It's only him."

Stoick starred at Gobber for a moment before the two ducked at hearing the piercing sound. Seconds later another explosion erupted as another tower was sent crashing into the ocean depths. The chief tightened his grip on his axe and began walking toward the village center, Gobber following close behind.

"I want men up on the second wing with bola's and crossbows."

"Stoick-"

"Have the rear turrets face the north-west. We'll try to lure him back by the docks."

"Stoick it's-"

"I want the twins and Fishlegs on fire patrol and Snotlout by the village center."

"STOICK!"

Another great eruption shook the whole village and forced the two men onto their stomachs. Stoick coughed away the dirt and dust in his lungs before looking up at Gobber who held a helpful hand out to him. He grasped the blacksmiths good hand and lifted himself up onto his feet.

"Stoick…" Gobber looked his chief in the eyes, concern and worry spread all over his face. "Our defenses are gone."

Stoick breathed heavy. He looked away and saw one, two, seven of their tower defenses; obliterated. He looked up the hillside toward the great hall. The two ballistae were cracked and splintered and burning, their rubble blocking the main doors into the hall. The towers were gone, the turrets were destroyed; their main defenses were gone. Stoick's mouth fell open at the scale of the destruction, and how key it all was done. The realization of the attack began to set in. This wasn't a raid; it was an assault, an assault by the Dragon Master. The sudden yells grabbed both men's attentions.

"Stoick! The armory!"

They exchanged a quick glance before both chief and blacksmith ran toward the armory. Many of the villagers were already there, surrounding the wooden building but keeping a fair distance. Stoick and Gobber pushed their way through the armored crowd but stopped when they saw what had happened.

A green mist seeped from every crack and crevasse in the wooden structure. Zippleback gas, unmistakable in look and smell. Standing in front of the armory was the Night Fury, its eyes slits and its teeth barred. Stoick, as well as the rest of the village, watched the Dragon Master use the last of his Zippleback gas from his sword as he mounted his beast. His head swung forward, and there he and Stoick's gaze met. His eyes as always were unseen, but the chief knew his enemy was starring right at him, piercing his soul with a demonic, monstrous look. The gaze they held lasted only seconds, but for each of them it was an eternity. Finally, a small click was heard, followed by a sudden spark of flames, and a moment more an earth-shaking boom that sent all but the chief falling back. The Night Fury used the explosion behind him to launch himself forward at blinding speeds directly toward the chief, and just as they reached him his black, scaly front claws reached out and grabbed him.

Stoick was heaved up into the air, a good ten feet at least, before he was brought crashing down with the full weight of the dragon atop him. Stoick's lungs expelled all the air they held and left him completely breathless, and in the half second of calmness he had he struggled to bring oxygen back into his body. He finally was able to bring in a full chest's worth of air just as his dazed state passed, his eyes adjusting to the massive form of black with green eyes over him. The dragons face was inches from his own, and while clearly the most daunting thing, his eyes rose to the being mounted on the beast. There the Dragon Master sat, an ungodly foe who'd brought down fire and destruction upon his village; the monster whom he'd sacrificed his villages greatest warrior to in hopes of peace. Now those hopes were dashed, as evident by his being here and the chaos he brought. His bargain hadn't held; he'd failed to protect his people once again.

It was fitting now, trapped beneath his greatest enemy that he should die. He'd worked so hard and sacrificed so much, but in the end it hadn't been enough. Maybe if he'd been stronger, or smarter, he could have figured out a way to finally end this war, but it didn't matter now. He was a dead man, he knew it and accepted it. He had many regrets, but none so great as what he'd done to Astrid. He'd lost his own son, and as payback he'd given up a girl who'd only tried to help. He wouldn't blame Odin if he was denied entry in Valhalla for all he'd done.

Stoick kept his gaze on the Dragon Master, accepting his fate but not wishing to die a coward. For a moment all was silent, aside from the dragons angered and hot breaths on his face. As always the demon said nothing, but he didn't need to, Stoick didn't care. It was about time he'd killed one of his villagers; might as well start with the chief. Stoick gritted his teeth as, slowly, the dragon began to shift and tower over him, preparing to give the final blow. Stoick wanted to fight, wanted to grab his sword and thrust it into the beast's belly, but it wouldn't matter. He wouldn't be fast enough, and it would make no difference. Today, he went to Odin's great gates.

The dragon's claws reared up, before coming back down on his chest hard. Where Stoick expected a blast of plasma, he instead was forced to endure an almost fifteen-second long scream directly over his entire face. The roar was deafening, painful even, and he had to squint and turn his head to the side as saliva and mucus shot into his eyes, nose, mouth and ears. For those long, grueling seconds his life flashed before him. He saw his father from when he was a boy, and the funeral that accompanied his death. He saw Valka, his wife and his love, dancing with him on their wedding, then watched her be carried away in the claws of a dragon. He saw his son Hiccup, no more than five, sitting in his arms as he told him of Berks history and the chief he'd grow up to be. He saw Hiccup as a young boy, standing before him sheepish and sad as a pillar toppled to the side and crashed into a home. He saw Astrid, screaming and crying as she ran through the village yelling terrible, unbelievable things. He saw her kneeling in the dirt, hands bound behind her as the Dragon Master inspected her, and he heard her horrified screams as she was taken away in the night by her captor. The pain he'd seen in her eyes had cut him deep, and he'd known the moment she was gone how terrible of a man he was.

The screaming stopped, and his ears rung with a piercing, silent ringing. Stoick strained his eyes open and looked up. The dragon and its master still stood over him, but a moment later and they were gone. He heard some yelling, someone call out his name, and a hand reach behind him and help him up. He was confused; the faces around him were a blur, but after he blinked he saw Gobber's astonished and frightened face starring back at him. He said something to the blacksmith, but he couldn't hear his own words. His head was swimming; he felt sick, if only for the moment. A firm pat on his back brought him out of his dazed state as he finally let out the air he'd held in his lungs, and Gobber's shaken voice brought his attention to its fullest.

"Aye, Stoick! Can you hear me?"

Stoick brought in a fresh batch of air to fill his lungs, and he returned to his stoic nature. "I'm fine Gobber. Where's th-"

"BIORN!" Yrsa's screams caught everyone's attention, especially that of her husband. "Biorn, he's in the house!"

Stoick caught Astrid's father from out the corner of his eye running toward the Hofferson home. He and Gobber followed soon after, but by the time they arrived it was too late. Biorn and Yrsa stood outside their home, the front door having been smashed and splintered into pieces, and perched on their roof was the Night Fury and its master. In one hand he held his famous flaming sword, and in the other hand an axe…Astrid's axe. The Hofferson's watched in silent horror at seeing their daughters most prized weapon in the hands of a demon. It was only once Stoick and the rest of the village was watching did the Dragon Master make his intentions known.

The axe was thrown into the air. It spun around its center axis, and once it reached its maximum height allowed by gravity it began falling back toward the earth. Time seemed to slow in the seconds that followed, but what came next shocked everyone, most of all Yrsa. With one fell swipe, the Dragon Master sliced his sword through the wooden spine, separating the axe head from its handle. The two-sided blade came spiraling down, burying itself in the ground just feet from Biorn and Yrsa. The little bit of wood that remained between the axe heads was splintered and smoking, but the remaining handle did not fall to them. Instead, the handle of their daughters' axe had been caught by the Dragon Master, who held it in his grip for all Berk to see. At the same time, the Night Fury drew out its great obsidian wings and let out a terrible, gut-curling roar, before it and its rider vanished into the night once more.

For a long time no one said anything. There were no more attacks, no more surprises or destruction. Most of the fires had already been put out, but the damage had been extensive. Yrsa's shifts were the first to break the stalemate as she dropped to her knees in front of the lodged axe head. She ran a slow, gentle finger along the blades edge as tears began to form. Her husband, having dropped his sword and shield, stood behind her and laid a hand on his wife's shoulder. She looked up at him, sniffling back her rapidly approaching breakdown, and spoke with an empty voice. Her words would be the talk of the town for weeks to come.

"Our daughter is alive."

Xx-xX

Astrid couldn't sleep. She refused to, out of rage more than anything. He'd barely said anything after she'd exposed him for what he was. She'd won, and while the victory was comforting, it didn't lessen the hate and disgust she felt toward him. All these years, all the bloodshed and loss.

_All because Hiccup wanted to protect his dragons. _

It was sickening. The very idea of seeing dragons as anything less than what they were, destructive, murderous beats; it was appalling. Hiccup, as always, had to go above and beyond with how idiotic and terrible he could be. Everything he did, everything he stood for, had and still to this day caused misery and strife for _everyone_.

She was going to kill him. She'd made up her mind the moment he'd left. He didn't say where he was going, or when he'd be back, but she didn't care, this ended tonight. She didn't care if his Night Fury ripped her to pieces; if it meant saving lives, she'd gladly sacrifice her own now that it was _her_ choice. With him gone, maybe Berk would finally find the nest, and put an end to the dragon scourge once and for all.

Hours passed in silence. She sat on the floor by the fire waiting, seething, preparing. She kept a kitchen knife clutched in her hand, ready to stab it through his heart the moment he walked in the door. The sun had fallen, and the full moons light shined in through the windows. It was faint and sudden, but his landing was unmistakable. She tightened her grip, her heart beating harder, and she waited for him to enter.

_This ended now._

The door slowly nudged open. She watched, ready to see his face before lunging at him. Her heart skipped a perturbed beat at seeing the Night Fury slowly slink inside, its head hung low as it tried to avoid being seen. It passed by her, giving her only a hard but saddened glance before heading toward Hiccups bedroom. Astrid watched it, glaring and confused by its actions. She followed it until it was out of her sight, and with an annoyed huff she starred back at the entrance with an even greater rage. She was going to kill him twice.

The door opened again. Astrid's teeth clenched; this was it. She steeled herself to meet his gaze, denying herself anymore doubts or regrets. A log split and crackled, collapsing the small pyramid in the hearth and dimming the already minimal light. It proved only to worsen what was to come.

Hiccup stood in the doorway. He was still adorned in his black scaly armor, with only his helmet removed and held at his side. His face was dark, hidden mostly in shadow's casted by the dim light, but his emerald eyes tore into her to own with a newfound distain. She didn't realize it at first, to preoccupied with her own boiling rage to notice the shift in his mood and his stance. She was ready to end it all, guided and blinded by her uncontrollable anger, until an item was presented before her.

_Astrid's world shattered._

Tossed at her feet, with no care whatsoever, was a piece of wood. It was just shy of three feet, one end noticeably splintered and burnt. It was rough, but tempered and wrapped in old leather and matted fur. The greatest and most important detail was the pommel, decorated with an all to familiar silver skull. Astrid's trademark symbol.

She didn't know when she began to tremble, or when her eyes started to tear up. All the anger she'd built up had vanished for the moment, replaced by horror, shock and regret. Her axe was missing its most important part, and that realization made her panic, because it told her everything, and nothing. She lifted her head to meet his stern glance once more. Now she saw the change, the new-or had it always been there-cold, hard look in eyes that made him a complete foreigner to her. She was afraid to know the truth, but she was more afraid not to know.

"What…" Her voice was low and shaking. "what did you do?"

For a moment, he was silent. Astrid's ragged breathing was all that filled the terrible lull as she waited for a response. She was so lost in thought and mind, but the quiet, hard exhale brought her full attention to him.

"I gave Berk the monster they deserved."

His voice was alien to her. It was lower, darker, a tad slurred, but it wasn't Hiccup. That voice belonged to the Dragon Master, her captor. As the gravity of his words began to set in, so did the pain and rage in her grow anew. He stood there, unmoving, unfeeling; a true monster in form and action. He'd attacked her people, taken her as his prisoner, hurt everyone she loved, and now…now he toyed with her, tortured her. How many had he hurt tonight, how many had he killed? Did he attack her father, her mother? He'd been in her house, was it still standing?

Astrid's heart beat like a war drum. Her gaze had fallen; her mouth hung open as she trembled on the verge of a total mental collapse. Fortunately-as well as that word could apply-her breakdown was soon replaced with blazing, indiscriminate rage. Her stunned expression curled and contorted into a terrible scowl, and the knife which she'd almost dropped fused into her dead-locked hand.

"Don't try it." His voice was strict, unwavering. She didn't care.

Astrid's head shot up. Her eyes were red and full of tears, with a fire burning in her aching soul. She screamed, fury and sorrow ringing through the house; the sounds of a feral beast in the wild. She shot to her feet, lunging at him knife in hand, her vison blurry through a stream of tears. She brought the blade, raised above her, hurling down toward his demon heart…but as quickly as it had begun it was over. Her attacked was stopped; his hand gripped painfully around her wrist and was as solid as stone. His free hand reached over, stole the knife from her grip, and tossed it to the floor with a great clatter. Before Astrid had time to react, she was spun around and thrown harshly into a wall. Her arms were pinned above her by Hiccups painful, unrelenting grip, and she was held trapped at his mercy. She struggled, meekly, which only caused the Dragon Master to tighten his already crushing hold on her. His gaze bore down on her, his face mere inches from her own. His hot rancid breath stung her nostrils with mead and alcohol, enough to almost make her puke.

Slowly, he brought his face forward, his mouth skimming her right ear. "I could take you, right here, right now."

His voice was almost a whisper, but it was dark and it frightened her. She could easily fight him off, she had the strength to…but fear held her frozen under his imposing constraint. She turned her head away, to scarred to look at him and to fearful of what he might do. His nose and mouth trailed over her soft ear and into her hair, and she let out a weak whimper when he pressed his lips closer into her ear.

"You belong to me."

Her heart sunk once again. Her greatest fears were coming true. She'd swore she would fight him, to not let the Dragon Master take her without a fight. That was before she knew him, before she knew the man behind the mask…he terrified her. She thought she'd known him before, and she thought she'd known him just hours ago, but the truth was he was a complete mystery to her. The boy she'd known had died, the man he'd been was an act. _This_ was Hiccup, the Dragon Master, the demon on dragon back. He was a killer, a murderer and a rapist; a true monster, just as she'd said. Now she saw him for what he was, and she would feel his wrath.

He pulled away from her but kept his hold on her strong. Her face was a mix of fear, sadness, and preparation for what was to come. Her face…it made him sick.

"I'm not the monster you fear…but I can be."

He released her and took a step back. Astrid fell to her knees, her body instinctually curling in on itself as she held her aching wrists close to her chest. She was breathing hard, small whimpers and sobs crammed between each racing beat of her heart. She dared not look up at him; no matter how much she wanted to spit in his face, she dared not provoke him more.

"Berk's suffering is on your hands Astrid. _Don't _forget that."

She slowly craned her head up. Tears filled her eyes and streamed down her cheeks, but she could see him clear as day. She feared him, she hated him…but she hated herself more. She hated herself because he was right, it was her fault; she knew that. None of this would have happened if she'd just kept her mouth shut. Her people had been hurt because of her.

"I thought I could change you." His gaze fell slightly as he spoke. "I thought I could make you see the truth…but I can't."

His expression had lessened a bit, but when he looked back into her eyes his brow furrowed, and he frowned.

"I'm not going to waist my time on a hopeless cause. It doesn't matter what you think…you'll never understand."

He gave her one last disgusted look, before turning heel and walking away toward his bedroom. Astrid's eyes narrowed, and a small fighting spark lit in her again. It's wouldn't last long.

_Sniff_ "…then take me home."

He stopped, but he didn't look at her. He wrestled with her request in his head, but he already knew his answer. After what he'd done tonight…the mistakes he'd made…he couldn't let her jeopardize him again.

He turned his head, and spoke firm, but with a twinge of regret.

"You will never go back to Berk."

And with that, the spark she clung to went out. His words rung through her body like a bell, and the last of her defenses were broken. Hiccup groaned and stomped away, cursing himself as Astrid began to weep and wail. That night they both fell asleep crying, both filled with regret and sorrow…and hate for themselves, and each other.

Xx-xX

"She _IS_ alive! You can't deny it!"

Biorn was furious and filled with agony. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that his daughter was alive, but others weren't so convinced. After the attack Stoick called a meeting of Berks council to discuss the events of the night and what was to be done next. The destruction of their defenses was indeed a great burden, but it was hardly the forefront on everyone's minds.

Stoick pinched the brim of his nose with his fingers. "We don't know anything for sure Biorn. What matters is-"

"MY DAUGHTER MATTERS STOICK!"

The chieftain let out a deep sigh and shook his head. He was too tired to argue this, they had far more pressing matters to deal with. Biorn was ready to tear into Stoick about how he truly felt, but a well-timed hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"No one's denyin' ya Biorn," Gobber's voice was as empathetic as it could be. "but Stoick's right, we need 'ta focus on the village right now."

Biorn's fists curled into steel balls, his leg shook violently…then he let out a deep breath and collapsed into his chair. Tonight had been too much for anyone to handle, least of all the father of a sacrificed girl. The rest of the council remained silent, both out of respect for the grieving father, and because they waited for the chief to speak.

Stoick raised his head and looked at Spitelout. "How soon can we begin repairs?"

The hardened Viking just shook his head. "It's to early to tell. If the foundations are still good then we can start in a week, but with winter coming we'll have to conserve our lumber. Most of the towers are just stone and rubble now."

Stoick gave a gruff nod, then turned to Gobber. "How many weapons were you able to salvage?"

"Aye, not enough I'm afraid." He shook his head and frowned. "Bits of scrap's is all really. Luckily I had a pile 'ol orders back at the shop, so we got a few extra swords and axes. They just need a good sharpen'in is all."

Stoick nodded again. "Good…good."

The chief leaned forward and rubbed his forehead. Things were grim, but they could have been a lot worse. Rebuilding the village was simple enough, and it was good to know they had a few extra weapons lying around, but the question of _why_ still haunted him. Frustrated, Stoick stood up and walked away from the table, starring into a flaming brazier with his hands clasped behind him. The other council members watch him intently, waiting to see what would happen next.

"I thought this time things would be different," His voice was low, and they all swore they could hear actual regret in his tone. "but I was wrong…again."

Stoick turned his head, but he didn't face them.

"I'm sorry for what I've put you and your wife through Biorn."

He said it very flat, almost emotionless, but it was genuine and true. As much as he hated Stoick for what he'd done, he hated himself more for letting it happen. At least Stoick was man enough to admit he was wrong…it was more than he'd expected from their stoic chief. Biorn simple nodded, anything more and he'd have a breakdown.

Stoick turned back and starred into the fire. "I've done everything I can think of to put an end to this war, but nothing works. I thought Astrid's sacrifice would be enough this time…I don't understand what went wrong."

For a while everyone was silent and somber. No one knew what to say, they didn't understand either. While everyone else contemplated the question, Ruffnut and Tuffnut looked at each other confused. When it was clear no one else was going to say anything, Tuffnut broke the silence with a borderline sarcastic tone.

"Uh, really? Am I the only one who gets what happened?"

There was an awkward moment when everyone slowly turned to eye him. Any other Viking would have surly felt uneasy, but of course Tuffnut was completely unfazed, and oblivious. Gobber glared and looked ready to clobber him over the head.

"The hel you goin' on about?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Ruffnut interjected, taking the focus off her brother who was about to get his teeth knocked out. "Astrid pissed him off, so he took his anger out on Berk. Why else would he put on a big show and steal part of her axe?"

It wasn't often that the twins made sense, but this was one of those very, _very_ rare instances where they made everyone else feel like a complete idiot. It took a second for the truth to sink in, but as it did the mood began to shift. A deep realization made itself at home among them, and none were as affected as Biorn, who took this as the greatest proof that his daughter was still alive.

"Astrid…" His voice was parched as he spoke and looked at Stoick. "My daughter _is_ alive."

His stare burned the statement into Stoick, who could not and would not deny it. The twins were right, it was undeniable…but this new realization came at a terrible cost. Astrid had been the cause behind this attack, and knowing her, this wouldn't be the end.

Stoick walked back to the table, but he did not sit. "We gave her up to ensure peace…now she has made things even worse."

Eyes shifted back to Stoick, but everyone knew the meeting was over. That low, deep anger in his voice was what made him a chief to be respected and feared, but it also served as a warning that he was in no mood to debate anymore. Biorn knew where the chief's thoughts were headed, but he was to tired to argue, his heart hurt to much to care what Stoick thought. Gobber concluded the meeting quickly and advised everyone go home and get some rest. Few said anything as they all left, Stoick being the only one to remain in the great all, alone. Before leaving, Biorn Hofferson looked back and locked eyes with Stoick the Vast one last time. In their silent exchange, Biorn cursed Stoick for all he had done. Stoick did not reply, only taking Biorn's unspoken wrath completely emotionless.

No wonder his son had died; what child could survive with a father like Stoick.

Xx-xX

* * *

No one is happy in this chapter :)

New darker Hiccup. Trust me, he hates himself, but he won;t be around forever. Also future tentions between Biorn and Stoick. Grieving fathers tend not to get along well with eachother.

We'll see a bit of some gods in the next chapter, but right now its human time. Once that all gets settled we'll have some fun, and maybe some tricks from the king trickster himself ^^


	10. Journey

Ah finally, a new chapter! Sorry this one took so long. School's starting back up and I got a new job so I've lost a lot of my free time. I still hope to get updates out at least once a week, but they might be biweekly every once in a while. Thank for understanding, and thank you for reading.

* * *

_You will never go back to Berk_

"I'd rather die than stay here."

Xx-xX

Almost a week had passed since the…_incident_. Since then, things had changed on Hiccups island, most notably his daily schedule, and his attitude. Hiccups new routine-or was it normal for him-consisted of sleeping till mid-afternoon, waking up, sometimes with a hangover, taking a 'morning' flight, either working out at the forge or some other home project, then leaving fully armored once the sun was about to set. If there was a raid, there was no telling when he'd be back, but he _always_ came back. If there wasn't a raid, he'd be back at the home within an hour, and that's where the majority of the awkwardness took place.

Hiccup was much colder now, or maybe he just really didn't care about her anymore. The two of them barely spoke beyond the occasional offhand remark or question. Hiccup clearly wanted nothing to do with her, and she wanted nothing to do with him, but the tension and long swaths of silence were beginning to drive her crazy. She cried when he was gone, because there was nothing else that she could do. Hiccup had truly become the monster everyone thought he was, and it was all her fault. If she hadn't lashed out at him; maybe if she'd listened more, let him explain his side more, maybe things would be different.

_Maybe…but it didn't matter now._

The sounds of waves crashing against the rocks below, and the wind softly blowing through her hair was all that filled the silence as she stared out over the sea. Her stomach rumbled. She hadn't eaten much the last few days, but she didn't think that would be much of a problem soon. Hiccup had left to go scout for raids tonight, which meant she had at the least an hour alone; twenty minutes would have been enough to get where she was now. She'd thought about this ever since he'd crushed her hopes of returning hope, so really what was the point in going on anymore? She'd already screwed things up. She knew if she stayed any longer she'd just end up making things worse, and she refused to ever let him touch her again after what he'd _almost_ done to her. No, she wouldn't give him the chance; she wouldn't let him hurt her again. If anything, he'd probably be glad once she was gone. He wouldn't have to worry about her killing him or trying to run away. She hated the idea of giving him any satisfaction, but in the end, this would be best for everyone.

With a deep breath she took a step forward, her toes brushing the very edge of the cliff. She could still turn back, but why would she? To live out a miserable life in Hiccups home, never to see her family or friends again? His words echoed through her body like a piercing bell as she readied herself to jump.

_You will never go back to Berk._

The last of her emotions left her.

"I'd rather die than stay here."

"Of everything I expected of you, this was not one of them."

Astrid should have been surprised or shocked, but strangely she felt no different. Had it been anyone else she would have surely flinched and ended up tumbling down the cliffside, but Freya's godly voice left her…neutral. Astrid turned around and faced the goddess. Had she not known who she really was, Freya would have the appearance of a woman of the woods, and something about that image made her appealing to Astrid. It would be no surprise if that was exactly what the goddess was going for.

Astrid stared at her with sad, empty eyes. "What other choice do I have?" Her tone was filled with defeat, something that Freya took notice of.

"Well for starters," The goddess's voice was soft yet firm. "suicide bares you from Valhalla, and Hel does not deserve a warrior's soul such as yours."

Oddly enough, Astrid smiled, if only for a brief moment. Her gaze fell, but it rose again at Freya's call.

"Astrid, come here."

She shuffled forward, slowly, sluggishly, her eyes fixed on the ground, to ashamed to meet the Vanir's soul-piercing stare. She stopped just a foot away from Freya, but kept her head hung low.

"Look at me." Her voice was stern, but it held no anger or disappointment. Astrid slowly lifted her head and looked with pale eyes.

"You are not to blame."

Her knees went weak. The words pulled at the chains that wrapped her in guilt and despair, but like most things she was still too stubborn to let them go. She knew Freya was right, but could she forgive herself?

"But it's my fault. If I hadn't-"

"Do you remember the most important thing I told you the last time we spoke?" Astrid stared and blinked. She opened her mouth to speak, but said nothing.

"Hiccup's choices are always his own." The words echoed in her, and the memory of that night flashed before her. Astrid didn't know what to say and her head dropped a little again. Freya reached up and gently pushed back a length of unkempt hair that shielded part of young Vikings face. Astrid didn't move but looked up at the woman.

"You did not cause the suffering on Berk, and you are not to blame for what happened. You simply told Hiccup the truth of what he is."

"And because of that he attacked Berk."

"It was his choice," Her voice was calm and smooth as silk. "and he made it willingly. How we react to the truth defined our character, even gods are not immune to it. The consequences of his actions are his to carry, not yours."

"But if I hadn't-"

"Then perhaps things _would_ be different." Her voice was still calm, but it was unmoving. "Perhaps not. Perhaps things would be even worse, but what is done is done. Hiccup has made his choice, now you must make yours."

At last the chains that held her broke. Maybe it because Freya was a god, or maybe it was because it was what she needed to hear. The guilt she felt finally slipped from her shoulders, and though the pain still lingered, she would grow stronger because of it. Astrid finally felt a bit more like her old self, but worry and fear still kept her grounded.

She shook her head and sighed. "I was supposed to be what ended this war. Now that I know the truth…I don't know what I can do to stop it."

Freya, to Astrid's surprise, giggled. She looked at the goddess, confused and a tad annoyed, but Freya's warm smile and loving words eased her conscious.

"You are strong and wise Astrid, and you have always known _exactly_ what to do." Freya leaned forward and whispered with a smile. "And compared to you, Hiccup is an idiot."

Astrid couldn't help but smile and let out a teary-eyed chuckle. Freya knew how to lift her spirits, and for the first time in a long time she felt happy. The goddesses radiating smile lessened a bit as her expression grew stern, but uplifting. She reached out and gentle grasped Astrid's hands and held them in her own, staring at her intently.

"The path before you is a difficult one, but it leads to the salvation of many. You are smarter than you realize, and you must use that to your advantage…but you must be ruthless as well."

Astrid felt the Vanir squeeze her hands to emphasize the point. Her face hardened with determination and she nodded.

Freya continued. "Never doubt who you are or what you have done. Hiccup is unrelenting in what he believes; you must use that against him if you wish to stop him."

Astrid nodded again and promised herself she would not fall victim to depression or doubt once more. Her destiny was to stop the Dragon Master; to stop Hiccup, and she would see it done. Freya released Astrid's hands and stood tall, shining bright like the god she was.

"I have faith in you Astrid Hofferson, but as I said before, your choices are yours and yours alone. Whatever you choose to do, I will be here to guide you."

Astrid gave her guide a genuine, thankful smile and bowed her head in respect. She felt alive again; renewed with the energy to push forward. The past few days had been rough…okay, _really_ rough, but she knew it only made her stronger. She felt ready to face whatever came at her next, but a sudden thought crossed her mind. She raised her head quickly, glad to find Freya still there

"What about Loki?" She asked quickly. The Vanir goddess held a neutral look when she spoke.

"Hiccup has not summoned him back yet. When he does, I will let you know."

Astrid just breathed, and a blink later Freya was gone. She was left standing by the cliff, alone once again, but now a changed woman. She still felt somewhat responsible for what had happened on Berk, but she realized now that Hiccup was to blame. He was to blame for everything, she _knew_ this. She just needed to hear it from someone else, and when that someone was a god well…who was she to argue?

Leading up to now, her time with Hiccup had been a complete mental clusterfuck. First she'd been shocked to learn he was alive, then furious, then depressed, then glad, then back to angry. She might have been able to forgive Hiccup for faking his death and leaving had he not also been the malevolent Dragon Master; that she could not forgive. Hiccup had chosen dragons over his own people, but unlike those mindless beasts, he could be reasoned with…sort of. Astrid knew what she needed to do; she'd always known, just this time she had the confidence and determination to stick with it. Her goals remained the same as before: learn what she could from Hiccup and make him end the war, and if he couldn't or wouldn't then make him answer for his crimes. She cursed herself, as she'd already told herself this days ago. This time however she knew things would be different; she wouldn't falter. No matter what happened, she'd see this through till the end.

Astrid looked up at the bright moon. She didn't know how she knew, but something told her Hiccup would be back soon. She could wait, but the adrenaline pumping through her veins told her she needed to do something tonight. She needed more answers, and Hiccup was the only one who could provide them.

Xx-xX

He hated coming home now. He use to welcome the sight of the small cottage; the smell of the ashen hearth when he walked in and the warmth of his soft bed had once been little pleasures that reminded him he was still human, but now all he felt was dread and anger when he caught sight of his dismal home. Even though she only took up a small corner now, Astrid's words never left him, and her presence was a constant reminder of everything he hated.

She _was_ Berk.

She was the life he'd left behind; a life he swore never to return to, yet now it had forced itself onto him. Everything he did, he did to save the dragons, because they deserved to be saved; Vikings did not. Vikings were arrogant, they were hateful, and they feared what they did not understand. Vikings were no better than wild, feral animals, and he repressed any notion that he was somehow 'one of them'. They were the true monsters, and Hiccup despised Astrid for daring to compare _him _to _them._

Toothless landed with a soft _thump_ and Hiccup dismounted. The dragon had come to feel conflicted about his rider's new behavior. On one claw, he understood his humans' anger and resentment toward the female, but on the other claw he didn't like how stern and moody he was when they were home. They were supposed to reserve the seriousness for out there, not bring it home when it was time to relax and feel good. Hopefully Hiccup could resolve his issues with the female soon and go back to being the annoying, loving human he'd grown to care for.

Hiccup removed his helmet, gave Toothless a quick rub on the head, and headed inside. He'd expected to come home to the same scene: a dimly lit hearth with Astrid either curled away in her corner or picking away as a small bit of food, eyes either glaring at him or looking away in disgust. Instead Hiccup walked into a very different setting, and immediately he knew something was amiss. The fire was burning bright, the house was nice and warm, and Astrid sat at the kitchen table with a plate of food in front of her, and another plate waiting for him on the other end. She was staring at him, but it was different this time. She wasn't glaring, she wasn't looking with distain or hate…she was just staring, watching. Hiccup looked around with wary eyes, trying to piece together what was going on. He finally settled his gaze on her, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

"What is this?" He asked, almost accusing. Astrid refused to let him get under her skin.

"I got bored." She said sarcastically before dismissing him. "You don't _have_ to eat."

He glared at her. This had to be some kind of trick, but it didn't feel like one. Astrid wouldn't have done this 'out of the kindness of her heart', but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of being the bigger person, not after the shit she'd said. Slowly, with his head held high, Hiccup set his helmet down and took a seat at the table. He kept his eyes on Astrid, who just stared back with a blank dismissive look on her face. Toothless waddled his way over by the fireplace and watched with great interest as the scene unfolded.

It looked safe enough. Cooked salmon, a loaf of bread, an apple, and a mug of ale. Simple, but he was suspicious. He eyed the food for a moment before looking back up at Astrid, who just scoffed.

"Of all the ways I'd kill you poison would be the last."

He didn't know why, but he smiled. Something about how she said it…it was familiar, like the girl he'd known as a scrawny boy. His face lightened slightly for the first time in days, and he took a welcome bite. He hadn't even started his second chew when he stopped. It wasn't poisoned, but it wasn't good either. It was very undercooked and had way too much spice thrown on it, and swallowing proved to be exceptionally difficult. Hiccup didn't think she did this on purpose, but if she had she was a cruel, cruel woman. Begrudgingly, he forced the food down his throat and gave Astrid a cheek-biting nod.

"It's…*cough* it's good."

All he got for a response was a simple _hmm_ before she began eating her own meal. Either Astrid had zero taste buds, or her food was far better than his, but she chewed and swallowed her fish with content. Hiccup took a deep breath before taking a swig of ale. He made sure to have a sip with each new bite, as it was the only way he could keep himself from regurgitating. While most of his focus was on his own wellbeing, a part of him began to wonder what exactly was going on. He knew his attack on Berk had broken Astrid, and he hated himself for it almost as much as he hated her. He knew that night that she would never change, and he'd gotten to the point that he really didn't care anymore. She was Astrid, he was Hiccup; they'd never see eye-to-eye on anything.

So why did things suddenly feel so different? Why did she seem more alive right now than in the past almost ten days she'd been here? Just an hour ago, when he'd left to go spot any raids, she'd been curled away in her corner like a sickly Terrible Terror. That's how she'd been for days and it's how he thought she'd remain for a long time…was he an idiot? Was it all an act, a trick? Maybe…but the look he'd seen in her eyes told him the truth. No, everything up until now had been the truth, but now he wasn't so sure. He wouldn't take this as a sign of hope, not yet…not until he figured out what was really going on.

"Where did you go?"

Her heart nearly skipped a beat the instant she said it. She'd been thinking about what to ask or say the moment she'd gotten back to the cottage. Like Freya said, she needed to be smart and use Hiccup against himself. That meant actually learning more about him, and what better to learn than where he'd been for five years. Besides the advantage it would give her, Astrid was also genuinely curious, as five years was a _very_ long time, especially when those years were spent with a dragon. She wanted to know-she needed to know-but how to go about it had stumped her. She refused to act timid and scarred around him anymore, but she knew she couldn't start demanding answers from him, not yet at least. She needed to keep her cool; ease her way into his trust if it was still possible, and slowly extract what she needed bit-by-bit.

Astrid thought she was pretty smart. He claimed he learned how to cook to impress her, and now she was going to use that against him. She knew he'd be suspicious; he might even get defensive, but she was willing to risk it. Luckily suspicion was as far as he went, and her challenge of not caring if he ate had been the perfect hook, line and sinker. Watching his reaction however had not been expected, and she wasn't sure if she should feel happy or insulted that he didn't like the food. She never had any _real_ experience, but she never thought her cooking was that bad. Then again, her mother had always kept her from the kitchen, but she always assumed it was because she enjoyed preparing the meals. Maybe her cooking really was bad…who cares, that wasn't the point right now.

"What do you mean?" He said, taking a bite out of his bread.

Astrid set down her fork and knife and stared at him, though he was oblivious to her blank gaze.

"Where did you go when you left Berk."

Hiccup froze just as he took a chuck out of his apple. His eyes rose to meet hers and his eyebrows were raised in shock. A few seconds passed in awkward silence before he finished his bite and swallowed hard. She didn't show it, but her heart was beating like a drum, as it always did when he looked at her that way. He stared, but then blinked and frowned.

"South." He said with contempt. _So, this was her aim_ he thought.

"And?" She demanded. Gods, why did he have to be such a bastard?

Hiccup groaned as he took another swig of his ale. "Why do you care?"

Astrid glared. "Because I want to know, but if you're going to be an ass about it then forget I asked."

Ouch, that hurt, but she wasn't wrong. He was being an ass for no reason, and he knew it. He just wasn't ready for her to ask him about his past like this, or at all for that matter. As Astrid angerly went back to eating her food, Hiccup sighed and mentally shot himself with an arrow. She deserved the truth, if only to make himself the bigger person.

"We flew for a day straight after we left." He stated whilst in between bites. "We didn't look back and we had no regrets."

Astrid continued eating but her scowl subsided. Things were off to a semi-decent start, now she just needed to listen and learn. She showed him she was listening and he continued.

"We hopped island to island for a while, never staying in one place for too long." He forced down a particularly raw piece of meat and almost gagged. "I found some work in a few of the villages we passed through, made some good money along the way to, but…"

Hiccup looked over at Toothless who was resting peacefully by the hearth, and though bleak, he smiled.

"We needed to get away from what we left behind."

Astrid wiped a bit of food from her mouth and looked at him. For a second, she could have sworn she saw the old freckled, scrawny Hiccup she'd known as a girl, but it soon passed. She went back to her food right as he turned back.

"After a while we decided to head east, and we came upon the Great Lands."

"The ones trader Johann talked about?" She asked, genuinely intrigued.

Hiccup nodded. "Yep, and just like up here, most of the Viking down south are quick to judge and slow to learn." He took another swig of ale and sniffed. "Most…but not all."

_Hmph, great. More dragon lovers._

"Most preferred raiding over anything. It's amazing how barbaric and savage people can be to others when dragons are thought to be little more than myth."

There was an underlying hate to his words. It lingered, but then he chuckled and smiled.

"It's also amazing how different people react to dragons, especially the Englishmen."

That perked her interest, and Astrid gave him her full attention.

He laughed. "They're such pansies, and that's coming from me!" He chucked to himself a bit more, and Astrid couldn't help but smile at the thought. "They saw me and Toothless and I swear at least a dozen or more pissed their pants. We caused a lot of trouble our first month in England."

_England, wow. _She'd heard tales from sailors and traders, and now Hiccup had been there to.

"At one point we got captured and were brought before the King. William the Conqueror they called him, I think, and he would have had us executed if it wasn't for his wife the Queen."

Hiccup leaned back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling with a reminiscent smile on his face.

"She was…beautiful; gorgeous really. She was fascinated with Toothless and I and had the King spare our lives, though in return we had to help them with their own 'dragon problem'."

"Wait…there's dragons down there _too?"_

"Of course." He said with a knowing smirk. "There's dragon everywhere in every corner of Midgard, though they're nothing like what we're use to. The dragons we dealt with were much larger and more intelligent than any I've seen, and…"

He paused for dramatic effect, which worked exactly as it was meant to.

"They could talk."

She nearly choked. "W-what?!"

His smile only grew. "I was shocked to, but it did make negations easier. Turns out though, the more intelligent they are, the greedier the dragon is. Guess we should be grateful we got stuck with the dumb ones up here."

As if on que, Hiccup ducked his head as a bit of charcoal was chucked at him. He just laughed and looked over with a smile at the glaring and grumbling dragon. Astrid blinked at the sudden playfulness between the two. It was…strange, to say the least.

Hiccup chuckled. "Anyways, I was able to convince the dragons to end their plundering of the English treasures and gold, and in return the King knighted me and Toothless and proclaimed us _Hero's of the Kingdom_! Needless to say we were well welcomed after that."

She finished swallowing the last bit of her fish and look at Hiccup. Had it been anyone else and she would have thought them mad, but Hiccup was different; he did not lie, not directly at least. His story was true, perhaps embellished but still true. What really worried her was the fact of other dragons out in the world, and that some could even speak. Maybe, in a sick twisted sense, they really were lucky.

Hiccup must have decided to take a break from his storytelling and instead focus on finishing his gut-turning food. Astrid took the time in silence to take in all that Hiccup had said, and while amazing, it was only half of what she wanted. She knew now where he'd gone and what he'd done, but what brought him back?

"So…why did you come back?"

He chocked and coughed, though she didn't know if it was from her question or his bad tastes in her excellent cooking, which she knew to be true. Once he was able to breath normal again he just stared off into the void for a moment, but finally he spoke.

"I…met someone…they convinced me to come back."

She raised a brow "Who?"

He said nothing, at first, then shook his head. "Doesn't matter. We left England and flew back toward the Great Lands before following the coast back north. Once we saw the trading ships we knew we were back in the Archipelago. By then it had been just over two years since we left."

Astrid didn't like him avoiding her question, but his change in tone told her not to force the issue. Now things were starting to matter.

"A lot happened those first few months. Toothless and I visited many islands and encountered numerous dragons. Most where been mentioned in the Dragon Manual but there were a few species that were completely new."

It sounded like he wanted to be happy with what he was saying, but something was holding him back, and as he continued his voice grew lower.

"Eventually, we found the main nest and the Queen living in it. After that…after that everything changed."

Astrid felt like she needed to say something, but she couldn't find the words, so she just listened with a cautious but open mind.

Hiccup let out a deep breath. "A couple months went by. We found this island not too long after. The cottage was already here though it was abandoned and falling apart. I spent some time fixing it up; furnished it, built a forge out back, and called it home…"

His eyes had dropped. Something was obviously bothering him, but it made sense that something would be. Hiccup hadn't exactly left on 'good terms', and Astrid knew where the end of the story led. He took one last deep breath; just wanting to get this over with.

"Toothless helped me with my armor, I figured out which night Berk would be raided…" He looked up and stared at her dead in the eyes. "and the rest is history. Fast forward two years and…" He raised both his arms in an expressive manner.

"Here we are."

Hiccup dropped his arms and the two of them stared at one another. Astrid was-she didn't know she felt, she just-was. She wasn't mad at him, not for anything in particular. She just found the whole thing so…bizarre. Almost otherworldly. The whole concept of Hiccup riding around the world on the back of a dragon was insane, but she knew it was true, and that's what made it even crazier. And of course, who else but Hiccup Haddock could tell such a ridiculous story so sincerely that even the most outlandish of statements seemed credible. Silence filled the stale air between them, but soon enough Astrid took in a deep breath and let it out.

"Well," She said with a nod. "I guess that answers my question."

She tried to keep her tone as passive and neutral as she could. Hiccup didn't seem to mind, or maybe he did but didn't show it. He just let his gaze drop once more before taking the last swig of his ale and sinking into his seat. He looked exhausted; mentally more than physically. Astrid was taking a sip of her own drink when he spoke again.

"I didn't want to leave, you know that right?"

She swallowed and set her mug down before glaring at him.

"And yet you did…" She darted her eyes over to Toothless then back at him. "with a dragon." Her anger began to slowly boil, but she kept it under control.

Hiccup turned and look over at Toothless, then back to her with a stoic face.

"How much would you be willing to sacrifice for someone you love?"

The question left her stunned, and extremely angry. How dare he ask her that; she'd been sacrificed to save her people, the people _she loved_, from him! She fought the urge to give him a black eye, but she couldn't stop her face from showing a clear, seething anger. Hiccup remained unmoved and unaffected by her burning stare. Gods curse him and his depravity.

Through grinding teeth, she answered him.

"Anything."

Xx-xX

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Alright, angst and depression is over, _for now!_ No but seriously, I know the past few chapters have been a bit dark, but that was the intent. Not everyone was happy about it, but I felt it was needed, and more will come in the future along with loss, love and lemons! Please let me know what you guys think and if you have any suggestions, it really means a lot. Also this chapter will set this story over 10K+ views, and I couldn;t be happier. Thank you for your support and look forward to more. ^^


	11. Scars

Anyone else wish they could just _not _go to school and _not_ go to work? No, just me, oh well. Anyways new chapter yay! Not a whole lot happens, just a bit more character buildup and some gound works for future stuff I have planned. As always I welcome any and all feedback so please don't hold back. Thanks for reading.

Oh and, you know, a little small thing but um...TWELVE-HUNDRED VIEWS! And over ONE-HUNDRED FOLLOWERS! Honestly I can't thank you guys enough. Just that fact that so many people are interested in my story is a true blessing. It's you guys that keep me writing, so thank you to all those who give feedback and just a general thanks to everyone who reads this story. It really means a lot. Thank you.

* * *

"I am not going to sit here every single fucking day bored out of my mind while you go galivanting around with your _pet_!"

"What do you want me to do about it Astrid?!"

Gods, was this woman ever pleased? A few days ago she complained about him not coming back for an entire day, the reason being he'd been visiting the Northern Markets to buy fresh food and forging supplies. Yesterday she whined about her clothes and demanded something else to wear besides her half-ruined dress, so he'd given her an old pair of grey pants and a faded green shirt that no longer fit him. It weirdly reminded her of what he used to wear as a kid. Now she was bellyaching about not having anything to do all day, and somehow that was his fault? If he'd known beforehand that she was going to be this much of a headache he would have never taken her from Berk. Odin give him strength.

"Look, I've got shit I need to do. There's a bunch of books in my room; you're welcome to read any of them and maybe learn something, or you can go explore the island, OR you can just sit inside and do nothing. I, in the meantime, have work I need to get done."

"UHG!"

She groaned, rolled her eyes, and walked away with her arms crossed to go pout. Shaking his head and sighing, Hiccup heaved a heavy satchel of metal over his shoulder and headed out back to his forge. He'd been meaning to work on the new saddle for days now, but Astrid's constant annoyance had left him with little time to himself. No more distractions. It was time to get his work done before the cold winds began blowing down from the north. Winters start was only a month away, and there was a lot to get done before the snow began to fall.

Xx-xX

_CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG_

Astrid growled and tightened her grip on the book. Hacking, hammering, grinding; she couldn't take it for much longer. If he didn't stop making so much damned noise she was going to drive that confounded hammer into his skull! FREYA CURSE HIM!

Xx-xX

Hiccup's book collection was…extensive, if that was the right word. She'd glanced his bookcase briefly once before, but now that she really looked it over, she was a bit taken back. The shelving itself was just over six-feet tall, and every row was filled end-to-end and compacted as much as physically possible. Berk had a collection of texts that resided in the Great Hall; tales of great battles and famous heroes from the Archipelago. Most on Berk knew how to read, there was just nothing _to_ read. The handful of books Berk had could easily be read though and done in less than a week, but Hiccups collection could take her months, years even! Most she'd glanced through were written in modern Norse, easy to read and understand, but a few were written in old Norse, and some in a language she could only guess was English.

_Could Hiccup actually read and understand English?_

If the story of his 'adventures' were true, then it shouldn't come as a surprise, but still. Not even Fishlegs knew how to speak anything else but Norse. It was a strange eye-opening moment; another glimpse into who Hiccup had become. Many of the books looked extremely boring however: _The Carpenters Craft, Sweetish Cooking, Ship Building for Idiots_. She wanted something that could help her, or at the very least distract her from the cruel world around her. She wanted a story, not an instruction manual. After an age of looking for something remotely interesting, a particular binding caught her eye and she retrieved the book from its place. The tome was old, held together by aging leather and petrified parchments. The front of the tome held a strange, but soon recognizable design: A dragon curled in on itself with a head resembling a Monstrous Nightmare. It was the crest of Berk and the Haddock tribe. At first glance it looked to be an older copy of the Dragon Manual, but the contents within proved her wrong, and name on the first page excited her.

_Frar Haddock_

Every Berkian child knew that name. Frar the First had been the founder of Berk and it's first chief over three hundred years ago. Despite his fame, little was known about the great chief and even less had been written. Some stories say he was a great warlord who wanted to conquer all of the Barbaric Archipelago, while other tales say he was little more than a crook who stole the fame of others and passed it off as his own, and some even say that he found Berk by mistake and never wanted to be chief in the first place. The validity behind any of these claims had never really mattered; he founded Berk, what more was there to say? Perhaps there was more, perhaps even something that could help her. Although she knew something like this would appeal to someone like Fishlegs far more than herself, Astrid couldn't help but feel intrigued and 'giddy' over her new find. At the very least it would make for an interesting read and a way to pass the time.

_Couldn't sleep last night. Haven't been able to for days. I'm excited, nervous, scared out of my mind. I knew this day would come, and although Odin's blessing is upon me, I still fear that this journey will end in ruin._

_The elder told me to write down all that happens, if only to keep myself sane. Few have returned from the great Northern Seas, and those who did told stories of monsters. I'd be a fool not to believe them, but I must not let the others know of my fear. They follow me only because they believe in me, though I doubt I deserve such loyalty._

_It's time. May the Aesir watch over us all. _

Xx-Xx

_CLANG-CLANG-FUCK!_

That was it! Two and a half hours of non-stop banging and crashing had driven her to the point of insanity, and just when things were getting interesting! She slapped the journal shut, careful to remember where she left off at, set it next to her furs, and stomped her way out the door and towards the forge.

"HICCUP! I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH-"

Hiccup threw down his hammer, rested his elbows on the table, and buried his face in his hands. Two hours waisted for _nothing_! He didn't know what he was doing wrong; it should work just how he planned, right? The metal was decent, so why did it keep breaking under barely any strain?!

"AGH! Fuck it I'm done!"

All he could do was groan and shake his head. He was tired and frustrated; he needed a nap, or better yet a drink. Ale would be the best since they had to leave soon, and since there hadn't been any raids in the past two days there was bound to be one tonight. He barely even paid attention to the stomping or the door slamming, but he shot up the moment he heard Astrid's enraged voice.

_Great, now what?_

Astrid stopped. There was Hiccup, standing by the forge, shirtless. The lack of clothing wasn't what stopped her however, it was what that lack of clothing revealed. While by no means as big or beefy as say a Viking like his father, Hiccup was still quite vascular and, dare she say, _ripped._ His arms were still long and lanky, but there were new muscles and strength where none had been before. His chest was firm and bare, same as his stomach, and he was virtually hairless save a small trail just below his stomach that led down lower under his belted pants. He didn't possess any kind of six, four or even two pack, but his front was solid and had little to now fat. His body figure was not what Astrid had expected, yet that hadn't been what caused her words to choke in her throat.

_Scars. _

To many scars. Wounds that told grim tales both old and new. From clear cuts and stabs in various, places; to abstract lines spiraling up his right arm like roots from a tree, and a terrible patch of skin just below the neck that looked pale and seared, possible of an acidic origin. Astrid had a few scars of her own; some cuts and slashes she'd received either from training or from dragons, but she'd never seen anyone with the kind of damage Hiccup had. It was…hard to look at, but it proved harder to look away.

Her heart was beating in her throat. She was at a loss for words, and Hiccups shocked stare wasn't helping. Time seemed to stop in those few seconds that they starred at each other. They both clearly didn't know what to do, and since Astrid was in pure shock and wouldn't move or even blink, Hiccup had to take the initiative and quickly turn away from her. His surprisingly clean and bare back shook Astrid from her stupor, but before she could get a word out he spoke.

"What do you want Astrid?"

His voice was quick and tense, and she could just barely see his fists were balled and his arms were shaking slightly. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped. Though his back was to her, she could still see the side of his left arm, and on it the marks of the only scar she recognized. Of all those that covered his body, it was those three claw marks that she knew of and the story behind them. She knew how he got them and why…and the sight of it filled her with hate and sorrow.

"I…I wanted to see what you were doing…I'll just, leave you alone."

He didn't say anything. He didn't even acknowledge her; he just stood in silence facing away from her, refusing to let her see anymore. Astrid stayed motionless for a minute; waiting, hoping that he would say or do something…but he didn't. Her chest felt tight, and her heart was beating painfully against her ribs. Slowly, as to keep herself balanced, she turned and walked away from him. Astrid made her way back inside the house and sat back down on her furs, all the while starring blankly out into the void. She reached for the journal she'd been reading, but no matter how hard she tired she just couldn't bring herself to actually read anything.

Her mind was racing. What happened to Hiccup? When did he get those scars; _how_ did he get those scars? Why was his right arm so weird? What could cause his veins to spread out like lightning? It gave her goosebumps, especially since it was Hiccup, a person she was learning more and less about ever day. Scars could and should be something worth praising; a mark that shows you've been in a battle and were worthy of entering Valhalla. Hiccups scars weren't inspiring or worthy of praise…they were disturbing…unnatural.

Her whole body flinched when the door opened. In came Hiccup, no longer shirtless, but refusing to look at her. Was he upset? Angry? Embarrassed? Whatever it was he obviously hadn't expected her to see…well, to see what she saw. It still shocked her, but now that she'd had a bit of time to process it, she felt ready to ask the obvious questions. Hiccup had been trying to silently scuttle his way toward his bedroom before she stopped him.

"What happened to you?"

He froze, but what did he expect? For her to _not_ ask? Of course she would, this was Astrid Hofferson for Thor's sake. Scars were just a trophy to her; something you show of and brag to your friends about how many dragons you've killed. She wouldn't see them as they truly were; painful reminders of all he'd done to save _his kind_, _his family,_ the dragons. Why should he even bother trying to explain it to her?

"I don't want talk about it." Was his cold, monotoned response.

Astrid narrowed her eyes. "I deserve to know."

_Deserve_?! He swung around and glared at her. Who the hel was she to deserve anything? Deserve…unbelievable. He wanted to put her in her place, but he realized something. Despite her now upset look, he could swear she looked…desperate? It couldn't be worry, could it? Did she…did she _actually_ care? No, Astrid wasn't one to _care_ about what he thought or what he'd been through…or was she? Maybe she did deserve to know. At least it would get her off his back and end the awkwardness.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Hiccup grabbed a chair and pulled it toward Astrid. The scrapping sound that followed made her cringe. Stamping the chair down just feet in front of where she sat, Hiccup planted himself in the seat and forcefully rolled up the sleeve of his left arm. Just below his shoulder were the three claw marks she knew all to well, but other than that his arm was normal.

"You already know what this one's from." He said with an annoyed tone.

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I do." Her tone was equally annoyed.

Hiccup eyed her. Gods she was a bitch, or was he being an ass? No, it was her. He let his sleeve drop down before reaching over to his other arm. He hesitated for a moment, but then slowly lifted the sleeve. Astrid looked with a slight gaping mouth at the marks that ran up his arm like vines. Each tendril wrapped around and up the length of his arm, most ending just before the shoulder and all the while spreading out root-like appendages that further enveloped Hiccups arm. Astrid had never seen markings like this; it was as if lightning had shot through his arm and never left.

_Ironically enough, that's exactly what had happened._

"A Skrill gave me this a few years back." He opened and closed his hand in a squeezing motion. "I still can't feel half of my arm."

She starred wide-eyed and let the words sink in. Skrills were rare and very dangerous, but she hadn't known anyone that survived an encounter with one. The last Skrill she saw had fried a man until he was little more than ash. Suffice to say she hadn't sleep well the nights that followed, but to see Hiccup and the scar he bore…perhaps Night Fury's weren't the most frightening dragons after all.

He watched her reaction. She was taken back, that much was clear. He didn't know what thoughts were running through her head, but somehow, he knew it was a mix of amazement and horror, much like how he had felt the night he received the thrilling marks. At least it hadn't been in vain; the Skrill got its own scar and had been freed of the Queen's control in the process, so at least that had been a plus. Relearning how to fight with a numb hand had proved to be a real challenge at the time, but in the end it just made him that much better of a swordsman, and if he had to do it all again knowing the outcome he would not hesitate. Besides…it was a pretty awesome scar, at least that's what he thought.

He let her gaze at his marks a little while longer before letting his sleeve drop. Astrid blinked and looked up to meet his eyes, but already he had moved on. After fiddling with and untying the neck of his shirt, Hiccup reached back with both hands and yanked the garment up and off his body. Astrid's eyes went wide once more and her jaw almost dropped. His firm, chiseled chest might have made her blush had the numerous marks that dotted it not made her feel uneasy. What made her feel the most unease was the fact that most of the scars were clearly not of dragon origins.

"The Dragon Hunters don't appreciate the work I do." His voice was flat despite the obvious joke. He then pointed to three round marks: one on his lower left side, one just below his right breast, and one up by his right shoulder. "Turns out they're pretty good archers."

She didn't like the combination of his carefree words and the emptiness of his voice when he said them. She'd heard about the Dragon Hunters before; a band of mercenaries and outlaws that kill dragons for profit. That didn't make them bad people in her mind, just untrustworthy…and apparently very dangerous foes. She remembered her father talking once about a pact Stoick had made with the hunters years ago, but she couldn't recall the exact details.

Hiccup then gestured to a slash mark that traveled from the top of his left shoulder to just below the bottom right of his stomach. "I received this from Alvin the Treacherous after I saved his life from a Whispering Death." Astrid noticed his eyes grow dark before he forced out a bitter chuckle. "I can see why Stoick decided to make him an Outcast."

Stoick. He said Stoick; not dad, not father. Only a son who'd disowned his father would call them by their first name. Did Hiccup really hate his father? Actually, it would make sense. The whole village knew how much of a screw-up Hiccup was…or, had been, and they'd all watched with shaking heads each time the chief berated and scolded his son. Add to the fact Stoick was considered one of the greatest dragon killers of all time and she could see how Hiccup could come to resent him to the point of total disownment. It would be sad if it were anyone else, but Hiccup…she couldn't begin to image what Stoick would do if he knew the truth.

"I've been stabbed three times." His frankness caught her off guard, again. He pointed to a mark on his right side. "Dragon Trapper," He pointed to a mark just above the previous one. "Berserker," He pointed to a mark in the center of his chest. "Snotlout."

"What?" It was barely more than a whisper, but the metaphorical punch he'd just delivered made her loose her voice.

Hiccup seemed unfazed and just shrugged. "Couple months back I stopped him from beheading another Nightmare, so in return he stabbed he in the chest. Shouldn't have expected anything more from him. He's more bloodthirsty than you are."

Astrid didn't know what to say. She didn't want to believe him, but there was no way he was lying. What bothered her more was that Snotlout, the king of boasting, had never once mentioned encountering Hic-the Dragon Master face-to-face, let alone attacking him _or _stabbing him. There was more to it than Hiccup was letting onto, but he refused to say more about it.

He went on to briefly explain the other scars he had. A claw mark on his far-left side was from a Razorwhip, bite marks toward his abdomen were from a pack of starved Terrors, and the seared patch of skin on his shoulder was from a 'very territorial' Changewing. Overall, Hiccup was a complete shipwreck, and by all rights shouldn't even be alive, let alone be able to walk and talk and fight as if he were in peak physical condition. He should be dead a dozen times over…and yet he wasn't…and a new worry buried its way into the pit of her stomach.

There was one more scar that outranked all the rest. He hadn't pointed it out, nor had be planned to, but as he was putting his shirt back on she caught a glimpse of it. The scar was straight, and deep, and ran from one side of end of his throat to the other. That put the final nail in the coffin. No one could survive a slashed throat, especially one as deep as Hiccups…and yet here we was, sitting before her and acting as if his scars meant absolutely nothing. It left her mind swimming with questions and unease. Was Hiccup truly a demon? Was he some kind of intelligent Draugr, or perhaps was the answer obvious? The gods are all-powerful after all; who's to say they can't bring mortals back from the dead, or at least keep them from dying. Perhaps now was the time to bring up the topic of a certain god of mischief.

"Hiccup…when did-"

Suddenly, the front door burst open, and in bounced a very happy and energetic dragon. The sudden intrusion made Astrid jump in a sudden fright. She hadn't gotten use to the dragon yet, or its playful attitude. Toothless bounded over to his rider, tail and body wagging in pure excitement. Hiccup laughed, a true genuine laugh that washed away the darkness from his eyes and the weight on his shoulders. It was strange to see how sudden his shift in mood was, but she welcomed it nonetheless.

"Hey, hey calm down bud. What's got you all jumpy?" His voice was much lighter and kinder now, and all because of a dragon…it still bewildered her to no end.

Toothless stopped his bouncing as best he could and plumped his back end on the floor. Then, in a very gross and gag-inducing fashion, the Night Fury opened its mouth, rolled out its massive tongue, and dropped a small pile of slobber-drenched items on the floor by Hiccup's feet. Astrid turned away nearly puking while Hiccup just groaned.

"Oh Toothless! What have you dragged in this time?"

The playful beast just wiggled its body in anticipation for his friend to see the treasure he'd found. Somewhat reluctantly, Hiccup reached down and grabbed one of the small round objects with two fingers and flicked away the dragon's drool. After composing herself, Astrid turned back to face Hiccup, only to find his jaw had dropped and his eyes had grown huge. Her gaze then shifted to the small item he held in his fingers, and she soon found herself also staring in shocked amazement.

_Sapphire!_

Not just one, but five, and each as big as her thumb. Even while covered in drool, the precious blue gemstones twinkle bright on any light that shined on them. She'd seen a gem like these only once before, when trader Johann had offered to sell her one for a 'modest' thousand gold coins. To now see five laid before her…hel, she could buy all of Berk and still have some left over!

"Toothless…" Hiccup's voice was surprisingly low. "did you find these in the shipwreck?"

The joyous dragon nodded its head and barked something in dragon that almost sounded like an affirmative yes. Hiccup's eyes suddenly brightened like the sun and his shocked expression turned into one of absolute elation.

"YOU BEAUTIFUL DRAGON YOU!"

Without warning, Hiccup jumped from his seat and embraced the onyx dragon before the two of them fell to the floor in pure delight. Astrid watched, perplexed beyond belief, at the scene before her. The dragon lay on its back, wings spread, tongue hung out, and its back leg twitching in ecstasy as Hiccup scratched and rubbed down the beasts belly vigorously. The Night Fury, the most feared of all dragons, the spawn of lightning and death, seemed about as harmless as a wolf pup, and for a brief instance Astrid didn't feel afraid of it. For that brief moment she didn't see a vicious beast, but a gentle, playful creature. At the same time she saw Hiccup differently as well. Gone was the man who'd stolen her from her people; the man who'd broken her spirit and hurt those she loved. For the brief moment, Hiccup was human; he was a person, not a demon. She watched the two of them, man and beast, and couldn't stop herself from forming a small smile.

_Maybe dragons aren't all bad after all. _

The thought and her smile vanished as soon as they had appeared. No, she knew better; she knew the truth. Dragons were evil, and so was Hiccup. She wouldn't let her thoughts be swayed by his scars and sob stories, or by how innocent his dragon pretended to be. She was Astrid Hofferson, sworn warrior and protector of Berk. She would see the Dragon Master fall, and his menace on the world brought to an end.

"BLAA! You know that doesn't wash out!"

Toothless cooed and chuckled. He always knew how to annoy his rider in the best of ways, and besides, he had to show his affection and gratitude for the amazing belly rub he'd just received. He gave his human a gummy smile before glancing over to the female. For a quick second he saw her smile, but as quick as it had appeared it left, and her face fell blank again.

Toothless frowned. The female human still didn't trust him, or his rider. He understood, partially, as the concepts of resentment and distrust were not unique to humans. Dragons, like humans, could be very unforgiving, especially when their own were hurt by others. Hiccup was unlike any of his human brethren; he was kind, caring, understanding…he was special. The female Astrid however was _very much_ human and was guided by her raw feelings of hate and sorrow from years of war. Yet there was something about her, something only he could see but he wasn't sure if it was real or not. She was human, no doubt about that…but her spirit was different, unique. Whether she knew it or not, her spirit was very akin to a dragon's. Perhaps that was the reason his friend was so fond of her…and why on more than one occasion already he'd grown, erm…'excited' when talking about her.

_Humans. Smart animals, but still animals._

"Oh shit. We need to go bud."

Astrid shot him a glance, then looked out the window. The sun was just getting ready to set, which meant Hiccup was 'off to work'. Good, she needed some time alone after everything that had just happened. She watched, silently, as Hiccup gathered his armor and placed the pieces over his body. Each strap and buckle that was applied further transformed him back into the demon she feared; the monster that he was. It wasn't long before he was completely dressed in black once again save for his head. He reached over to grab his helmet from the table but stopped and starred at her.

"I'll let you watch over those until I get back." He said with a smirked tone as he gestured to the gems by her feet.

She gave him a half-frown. "And what if I decide to chuck them into the ocean?"

Hiccup just chuckled and grabbed his helmet. She wanted to glare at him more, but the Dragon Master he'd just become stayed any further defiance she might have had.

"If you do, you're going swimming for them."

The threat was playful, but still a threat. As he placed his helmet over his head, her stomach curled. Hiccup was gone; the Dragon Master had come. All she could do was watch as he gave her a final wink before leaving without another word. She heard the sound of their takeoff and the scream of the Night Fury as it flew away, then…silence. She was alone again, and only once that revelation had sunk in did she let out a heavy breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. There was a lot to think about and a lot to process, but at least she was alone, and she was safe. Many questions filled her racing mind, but before she could settle on one something caught her eye. The sapphires were still coated in a blanket of saliva, but they nonetheless glistened in the light of the hearth that slowly burned away. She stared at the gems, part of her mesmerized by their beauty, and another part fixated on what Hiccup had said.

_What shipwreck_?

* * *

One quick think I want to add at the end is if anyone knows anyone who does HTTYD art and would be open for commissions. I'd love to get some art done for this story so please let me know if there are any artists out there who'd be interested in drawing. And of course I'd be happy to pay. I'd like to get some nice art done from some talented people, but general fanart from anyone is always accepted and welcome.


	12. Deal

_SIGH_ School sucks! You know you pay all this money to go and you end up not even learning anything, so what's the point?

Anyways, yay new update! I figured out I could get word on my phone so now in my spare time away from home I can write, so yay for that two.

As always please leave your reviews and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!

* * *

The wind blew through Astrid's hair as she stood on the debris-filled beach and starred out at the vast ocean expanse.

"Will I be able to make it back home?" She asked with a somber yet determined voice.

"If that is what you choose." Freya answered, speaking with her normal, never-a-straight-answer tone of voice.

Astrid groaned. "Please Freya, give me a real answer. Yes or no?"

"…The winds will guide you to Berk if that is what you want to know." Her voice remained unchanged.

"And I'm guessing that's all the help I'm gonna get, huh?" Astrid asked, already knowing the answer to her redundant question.

"I am here to guide you; not grant you wishes." There was an ever-so-slight twinge of annoyance in her voice.

Astrid lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry," she said somewhat meekly. "I shouldn't be so ungrateful."

A hand fell of her shoulder and Astrid looked up and into the stern goddesses' eyes. "**Never**, apologies for who you are. Never be ashamed to speak your mind, especially to me."

Astrid's eyes dropped slightly, but soon after she looked back at Freya with a hardened and thankful smile and nodded.

Freya's face, and her presence, lightened greatly. "Stay strong, and you will never fail. You will change the world Astrid Hofferson, so long as you have the strength to do what needs to be done."

Astrid found herself alone, again, but also filled with conviction. Funny how the goddess of love and fertility could always find a way to make her feel better. At least now she had a real, tangible goal ahead of her. She would make it off this island and back to her home one way or another, but there was just one thing stopping her.

_She had no idea how to build a boat._

Xx-xX

One. Two. Three. Four. Fi-wait. There were supposed to be five, where was…Astrid, of course. Whatever, he'd let her keep one for now. It wasn't like he'd be at any sort of loss. Four sapphires was more than plenty for what he needed…but five still would have been nice.

Hiccup returned to the Northern Markets a few days after Toothless's amazing find. He had half a mind to chew Boli out for selling him cheap metal, but he was sure with a bit of persuasion and a flash of a few blue gems he'd be headed home with the finest quality materials he needed, and then some. As always, the markets were bustling with traffic. Traders, shop keepers, patrons of pubs and brothels. Here a man could find anything he needed, from rare furs and exotic clothes, to foreign foods and hand-crafted weapons. It was one of, perhaps the largest, centers of trade in the Archipelago, and a stronghold of the worst Viking tribe in the region.

_The Dragon Hunters._

The depths of Hiccup's hatred for them had no bottom. He'd witnessed their cruelty and their blatant disregard for life many times; dragon or otherwise. Their leaders, Viggo and Ryker Grimborn, had been the first to place a bounty on his head once the _Dragon Master_ started raiding their ships and freeing their captured dragons. Except perhaps for Stoick, they above all others wanted him dead the most, and he took great pleasure in not only denying them that, but also in killing every hunter he got his hands on. None of them had ever showed a dragon mercy, why should he show them any?

Hiccup snapped back into reality and sighed. It was to early to start wanting to murder monsters; he was here to get new materials and nothing more. He slinked his way through the crowded streets of the market square and towards Boli's blacksmith shop. Other than a few of the local shopkeepers who'd offer a passing wave, no one bothered or even seemed to notice the young man clad in leather, or the sack of gems he kept in a tight grip by his chest. Theft was a common occurrence to those unlucky or foolish enough not to take precautions, a lesson Hiccup had learned the hard way many times in the past. A good rule of thumb was to always keep one hand around your money and another ready with a knife, but he never had to resort to any sort of violence…not yet at least.

Pushing his way past a pair of burly men, Hiccup took in a breath of fresh air before making his way into the large wood building. His senses were instantly bombarded as he walked in the door; the smell of coal and iron penetrated his nostrils while ash and soot watered his eyes slightly. A small bell rung as he entered the establishment, and not a moment later he heard a very distinct and recognizable voice yell out.

"OI! I'll be with ye is just a moment here."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and walked up toward the front counter. He could see and hear the hot tempered yet joyous blacksmith pounding away at an anvil while his son worked on a grindstone. He'd met Boli about a year-and-a-half ago and oddly enough became good friends with him. He had a very distinct and deep-rooted Irish accent that could at times be difficult to understand, but Hiccup got the gist of most of what he said. About thirty seconds passed of Hiccup waiting before he finally had enough and yelled out at the man.

"You know I'd be happy to take my patronage somewhere else if you haven't got the time for me."

The hammering suddenly ceased as Hiccup drew a sly grin. The buff, bearded, yet slightly shorter than expected Celt turned heel and walked toward Hiccup with a most disgruntled face, but with an obvious gleam of happiness in his eyes.

"That so aye? And who do ya think in the nearest bloody hundred miles of here is gonna have the kind'a lucrative materials ya'd be want'in, HMM?!"

"Oh I'm sure I could easily find someone. Though I guess it would be a pain to have to teach another _novice_ blacksmith how to properly reforge broken steel."

His playful, yet true, insult proved enough to break through the man's plastered attitude and force a cracked smile to appear on his face.

"Oh-hoho, you just watch yer'self there Mr. Horrendous. 'Nough talk'in like that and I'll start chargin' ye full price again."

Both of them couldn't help but smile and laugh. Boli was one of the few truly kind-spirited people he knew. It was one of the main reasons he even still came to this murderer-infested island. That and he really was the only blacksmith he knew of that carried the supplies he needed.

Boli rested his palms on the counter. "So lad, what brings ye back so soon?"

Hiccup tried to act more annoyed then he really was. "Nothing in particular, except for the fact that the metal you sold me was pure dragon-shit!"

The blacksmith rolled his eyes. "I told ya before dat' metal was reclaimed."

"Reclaimed from where? The bottom of the ocean? I could have found better quality in a bandit camp."

"It'sch not my fault ya ain't got ta coin lad. I can't just be givin' away my finest goods fer mere pocket change."

Hiccup made sure to keep a straight face as he reached into his gem sack. "Well today your going to give me the best you have."

The man just shook his head. "Sorry lad, but I got'ta business to run. I got maybe some-"

Boli never got to finish his sentence. Retrieving two of his sacred blue gems, Hiccup tossed the gleaming sapphires toward the rambling blacksmith. Amazing, his reflexes were faster than most would expect, and he was quick to grab the gems before they hit him in the face. His eyes went wide once he opened his palm and realized what he was holding, then he looked up and starred at his customer with an astonished face.

Hiccup gave him a victorious smile. "Keep the change."

A wide, toothy grin formed on the mans face as he shook his head and laughed. "I don't even want to be know'in how ya came across these, do I?"

"You would believe me even if I told you." Hiccup said with a smug look.

The joyous moment was quickly cut short as the shops front door was thrown open. Both Boli and Hiccup turned to see what had caused the commotion, and both their guts simultaneously dropped in dread.

There were three men. The two brutes looked nearly identical and wore matching pieces of spiked armor, helmets and masks. The third man was far more distinct; dark skin with short black hair, brown eyes, a thin-cut beard, and a straight gash running down his right eye. He stood with an imposing stature and his eyes showed zero tolerance for failed.

_Krogan._

No one was more determined at claiming the bounty on the Dragon Masters head than Krogan was. Hiccup had encountered him a handful of times; each one ending frighteningly close to either his death or capture. The only thing that had saved him numerous times was Toothless, and for that he owed the dragon his life a dozen times over.

The bounty hunter made his way toward the blacksmith with a stern gaze, barely even noticing the young leather-clad man. Hiccup was glad to have noticed how quickly Boli was with hiding the sapphires under the back of his counter. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, and to hold back from murdering the man on the spot, Hiccup quietly took a few steps back, but watched intently at what was to unfold.

Krogan stopped at the counter and starred at Boli. "I'm here for my axe." His voice was flat and emotionless.

Boli cleared his throat and nodded. "Aye. Uhg, it be just a moment."

Hiccup suppressed a growl at hearing how low the blacksmith's voice had gone and watched him walk farther back into the shop to retrieve the murderer's weapon. It took all of his might to keep his face neutral and content, but his mind was quick to think of a plan. He had his knife; he could wait until Boli came back with the axe then stab Krogan in the neck. In the ensuing panic he could grab the axe and make sort work of the two thugs. Boli could help him hide the bodies and there would be three less monsters plaguing the world. Or he could keep Krogan alive and torture him the same way he'd tortured countless dragons, then send his mangled corpse to Viggo and Ryker as a warning and promise of what he would do to them. Or he could even-

"Here it be for ya."

Hiccup blinked. Boli had returned, and laying on the counter top was Kogan's axe. The hunter picked up his weapon, inspected it, then gave a nod to one of his henchmen who threw a small sack of gold on the counter. Boli frowned slightly.

"Ah, this be only half what ya owe."

Krogan snarked as he threw the axe over his back. "Be grateful you're getting anything, _Celt_. Let's go."

And with that, the three Dragon Hunters left, leaving one short handed blacksmith and a very pissed off Dragon Master behind. Hiccup's intense death glare to Krogan's backside was ended when he heard the old smith let out a deep sigh.

"Bunch'O bastards, all of em."

Hiccup starred at Boli with a stern and apologetic look. "They should all hang…here, I've got some spare coin to cover-"

"Don't you even lad." Boli cut in before giving a soft smile. "You've given me more than enough, and I'd hate ta owe ya more than I already do."

Hiccup couldn't help but laugh, but it was cut short as he went back to thinking about Krogan and the Dragon Hunters. He could understand, even with all their arrogance, why most Vikings fought dragons. They were defending their home; Hiccup couldn't fault them for that. Dragon Hunters and Trappers, however, he had no pity or respect for. They all deserved to burn, and Hiccup would see it done.

"Ya know," Boli's words brought Hiccup back to reality. "between you and me, I'd take that Dragon Master over those savages any day."

Hiccup tried his best to hide his shock. He wasn't sure if Boli noticed, but if he did he didn't say anything. Swallowing hard, Hiccup cleared his throat and tried to act as nonchalant as he could.

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

Boli rested his arms on the counter and leaned in a bit, not wanting their conversation to be heard if someone walked in.

"Don't get me wrong, he scares the ever-livin' shite out'ta everyone…but he doesn't hurt anyone."

Hiccup's heart was pounding, but he did his best to appear normal.

"You ever met him?"

"Aye." The smith nodded. "Saved me life once actually, and me shop. Words are he travels all around the Archipelago. Anytine there's a raid goin' on he shows up and tries to keep everyone alive, includin' the dragon's o'course. Don't go tellin' anyone, but I'm thankful fer what he does."

His heart skipped a beat. There were few who understood the scope of what he did, and even fewer who didn't think he was a monster because of it. Part of Hiccup wanted to cry, but he knew he couldn't reveal himself, not even to Boli. A few seconds more of silence passed before the blacksmith spoke again.

"You ever meet him?"

"…No…I've just seen him from a distance."

Hiccup didn't notice the look Boli gave him, or the small, knowing smile that appeared on his face. Poor lad had the weight of the world on him if his gut-feeling was correct, but he wasn't going to bring up the topic anymore. A sudden loud clap was all that was needed to shake Hiccup from his stupor, again.

"Welp, twas a pleasure doin' business with ya again Mr. Horrendous. I'll have me boy get yer goods hooked up in a wagon and yer'll be all good ta go."

Hiccup blinked before smiling and thanking Boli once again. As always, he would take the wagon the long way toward the docks before doubling back and heading into the forest where Toothless waited for him. Although he would always complain, Toothless was more than strong enough to carry the goods back home, and maybe now he could finally finish the saddle he'd been working on for nearly six months. Hiccup gave one last bid farewell before walking toward the door, but was stopped just short of exiting.

"OI! When are ya gonna show mw that ship'o yours? What was it…Teethful?"

"Toothless…and maybe someday Boli, maybe someday.

Xx-xX

Of course she was waiting for him. Of course she wore that stern look he'd come to know all to well. He and Toothless hadn't even been back five minutes before she began demanding things from him, again.

"We need to talk, now." She said with a stone-cold voice.

How he hated those five words. Those five words that signaled the beginning of another pointless argument about how bad of a person he was. He really didn't want to deal with this right now, but he had little choice in the matter.

"Astrid please, I _just_ got back."

"I. Don't. Care. I've been waiting for you all morning!"

He buried his face in his hands and groaned. He was tired, and now he had a headache.

"Fine, Astrid, fine. Let me just unstrap Toothless and we'll talk inside."

She didn't even give him a thank you; she just turned heel and walked inside without another word. Hiccup rolled his eyes and look at Toothless who just starred back with a confused look.

"I know bud. Woman are all crazy."

About ten minutes passed before Hiccup finally walked in and sat down across from Astrid. Toothless had run off to go catch some fish down by one of the shorelines, which meant Hiccup would be forced to endure at the very least twenty to thirty _agonizing_ minutes alone with Astrid. To think that as a boy he was always to shy or awkward to talk to her, and now he was filled with dread and stress anytime she opened her mouth. Might as well get it over with.

"So Astrid," He said with his own clear annoyance. "what would you like to berate me for today?"

His underhand comment reminded her how much of a bastard he really was, but she'd come to accept and expect it from him.

"I could write a book about everything that's wrong with you, _**Hiccup**__._" She made sure to say his name with pure disgust.

Hiccup groaned and rubbed his left temple. "Great. Let me know when you finish."

A few second passed by in silence. Hiccup just wanted this to end already, but Astrid was trying her best to swallow her pride. She hated having to rely on anyone for anything, _especially _Hiccup, but this time she didn't have a choice. Nature, it seems, always wins against hate and pride.

She ground her teeth a final time before speaking. "Since I'm going to remain a prisoner here for the foreseeable future I need you to get me some things."

Hiccup gave her a blank look. "You're not a-"

"Save it." Her voice was pure spite. "You won't take me home, you won't let me leave, so ergo-I'm a prisoner, and unless you want me to make your life even more of a living hel than it already is you're to get me what I need."

Oh how he wanted to put her in her place. She had some nerve _demanding_ things from him after the shit she'd said and done…but he knew she was right. It still hadn't fully set in how semi-permanent her say here really was; she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon, which both terrified and eased his conscious. So long as she was here he didn't have to worry about other learning his identity, but just how long could his sanity handle her? At least if he made her somewhat happy he could survive…up until she wanted more.

"Fine." He said with a sigh. "What do you need?"

Good, he wasn't going to be a complete ass today. She needed to be strong and firm with her requests without pushing her luck. She just needed the essentials for now until she figured out a way off this blasted island.

"First, I want my axe-"

"No." Was his cold instant response. She'd expected it, but still hated him for it.

"…Second, your clothes are disgusting, and they don't fit. I want _my _clothes, and my boots to. I'm tired of walking around barefoot."

Hiccup raised a brow. "You want me to break into your home and steal your clothes?"

She gave him a razor stare. "I don't _**want**_ you to, but since you're a traitorous bastard it shouldn't be a problem for you." She couldn't help but shake her head slightly at how crazy this all was.

Hiccup frowned at her insult, but he'd come to expect it from her. "Yeah, won't be a problem. Anything else I can get you?" His question was filled with pure, annoyed sarcasm.

It was strange what she did next. He watched her open her mouth to speak, but she quickly closed it again and turned away. That wasn't like her, which piqued his interest but made him slightly worry.

"Astrid?" She didn't respond. "Astrid?"

She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh before turning back to him. "In my room there's a cupboard. At the bottom's a small box. I need that to."

Hiccup blinked, clearly confused. "A box? What's in-"

"You don't need to know!" She shot him a hardened glare, but it had little weight behind it. "I just need it alright?"

What was she hiding? What was in the box? He wasn't going to agree to anything until he knew.

"Look Astrid, I'm not getting you anything unless you tell me what's in the box."

Her fists curled as she tried to hold back the embarrassment from appearing on her cheeks. Why did he have to ask? Why did he have to care? Why couldn't he just do one thing right in his gods-forsaken life?

"I'm waiting."

Damn him. Damn him to the wastelands of hel.

"It's for my bleeding okay?" Her words came from behind clenched teeth.

It took a minute to register what she said. Hiccup blinked, then again…and again, before shaking his head and looking her absolutely perplexed.

"What?" His voice was a bit quiet. "What-what happened? What did you-"

"Not THAT kind of bleeding!" She could feel the redness spread across her face despite her best attempts to keep it contained.

Now he was even more confused. "Well, then what…oh…ooohhhhhh…"

"Yeah."

…

Almost a full fifteen seconds of pure silence passed, but it felt like an eternity. For Hiccup, this was a very strange realization, but in truth he kind of should have known. Women's, er, 'Blood Moon' was not something he knew a whole lot about, but he knew the basics of what happened, especially mood wise.

_Odin help him_

For Astrid, well, she just wanted to crawl in a hole and die. She was beyond embarrassed, but what was she supposed to do? NOT say anything and LITTERALY die of embarrassment? She remembered when her mother first explained it to her; that feeling of dread and insecurity that ever young woman had when they first learned. She could happily kill a dragon, or a man, and watch their guts spill out on the floor, but her own bleeding-that was something else entirely. What made things a million times worse was that she was having to tell Hiccup, _The Dragon Master, _her captor and once childhood crush about what she was about to go through. No woman should have to explain this to a man. EVER!

"Yeah…yeah of course." His voice much lower and more sincere. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No." Her cheeks started to cool down. At least he wasn't being immature; _that was a first._

"When do you need it?"

"As soon as possible." She said flatly.

Hiccup remained feeling a bit out of place, but did his best to seem genuine. "Well, there should be a raid tonight. If it's at or nearby Berk then I'll get it tonight, I promise."

"…Thanks." Though she said somewhat annoyingly, deep down she meant it. At least now she wouldn't have to suffer as bad as if she'd said nothing. Still, was the embarrassment really worth it?

Hiccup moved to stand, but stopped midway and sat back down. He looked at Astrid with a neutral yet wanting gaze.

"Lets made a deal." His voice was equally neutral and wanting. Astrid turned and gave him a suspicious look.

"What?" What game was he playing this time?

"I'll get you a few pairs of clothes, some shoes and…everything else you need, and in return, you agree to a truce."

She raised a brow. "A truce?"

He gave her a knowing look. "You're not a prisoner Astrid, and I don't want you to feel like one. I can't take you back to Berk-not yet at least. I don't plan on keeping you here forever just…just until I can figure things out. Until then, I think we'd both feel a lot better if we agreed to respect each others space and…'personal beliefs'. Sound like a fair deal?"

Now it was her turn to be left speechless. She stared at him, knowing all of what he was and what he'd done, yet this time it was different. She saw Hiccup, not as the boy he'd been or the monster he'd become, but as the man that he was. Behind that evil mask and insane belief, Hiccup was and always had been a man; nothing more, nothing less. A dreadful weight she hadn't known she'd been carrying was lifted from her shoulder. He wasn't planning on keeping her here forever, but just how long would it take him to 'figure things out'? She wasn't going to wait. She had a means of escape, just not a method yet, but she _would_ escape no matter what. For now, at least, she was stuck here…might as well try to make the best of it.

She looked away before closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath. She turned back to him and gave a slow nod.

"Deal."

His unknowingly tensed muscles instantly relaxed. Great Thor above she could be reasoned with! It was a good start, but he couldn't allow his imagination to wander. This was still Astrid after all. Just because they agreed to be civil didn't mean he could start believing she'd see dragons any different. That had been his mistake before, and right now the best thing he could do was not fuck up the peace he'd just made.

"Thank you." He stood up and was about to make his way back outside before he stopped and looked back at her. "You hungry?"

Her stomach barked the moment he said it. Damn him.

"…Yes."

Xx-Xx

_Our journey through these seas has been perilous. Many good men and woman have met a grizzly fate, and those that have survived have lost almost all hope. The only thing that keeps them going is their faith in me, but even that has begun to dwindle. I fear there may be too few of us to carry on, but I believe this island is a sign from Odin that our quest is not in vain._

_Berk. _

_That is what I have chosen to call this place in honor of my grandfather. His teachings and wisdom made me the man I am today, despite my father's disownment. We set up camp and have begun taking apart the ships in order to build more permanent homes. Berk is home to a vast and densely packed forest, so we should have little trouble in being prepared come winter, which in this region of Midgard will come far sooner than we're use to. I don't expect I'll ever see my birth home again. Berk is now my home, and I must do the best I can to guide and make it flourish._

_First it was just one, but this time there were many. They came just after the sun had set, and their fire brought a midnight morn to the village. They seemed to care little for us till we stood in the way of their prey; that was when the horror began. _

_I cannot describe in words the horrible smell of burnt flesh, or the agony I saw in the eyes of those who were roasted alive. There were many kinds: some slim with spikes, others round and near invulnerable. Of them all was one that caused the greatest destruction; one that was a living flame. It was monstrous. It was a nightmare. Its flames spread from its talons to the tips of its wings, and where it flew, liquid fire rained down on those below._

_Grandfather wasn't crazy after all._

_Dragons __**do**__ exist._

Xx-xX

* * *

Got a question to ask. I'd like to know if people are interested in more of the 'Frar's journal' sub-story about the founding of Berk. I wasn;t intending on going into to much detail but I will if people would like me to and are interested. If not it's fine, the main reason for it will serve a purpose later on, and any further detailing I do will be pure fluff. Let me know what you think!


	13. New Begining

Not even going to bother with excuses. this took me way to long to write and I'm sorry about that. Part of it had to do with midterms, but the main reason was my own lazyness which I am trying to do better at. I honestly enjoy writting this story, but instant gratification from video games and movies ends up winning most of the time. I'm sure I'm just being hard on myself, so I hope you understand.

Anyways...not much more to say actually. As always please let me know what you think, did I make any mistakes, ect ect ect. Thanks for reading.

* * *

"Hey babe. Wanna see something awesome?"

Uhg, was this really going to be her life from now on? It was bad enough when Fishlegs started hitting on her, but Snotlout just made things embarrassing. She couldn't go anywhere or do anything without one, or _both_, of them trying to impress her. She had **zero** interest in either of them, but at the very least it was amusing to watch the lengths they would go to.

_Men. What a bunch of idiots._

"Go impale yourself on a spike." Ruffnut snorted up at him as she threw a bucket of water onto the raging fire.

Her words went in one ear and out the other. "Just watch. You're gonna love this."

Everything was set up perfect. Nadders and Gronckles only went after the smaller animals like sheep, but his favorite prize _only_ went for the yak's. Snotlout sat in wait on the rooftop, scanning the skies and watching old Bessie below. She was an old yak, barely gave any milk and wasn't of much use anymore. Perfect bait for a Monstrous Nightmare.

It wasn't long until he heard an ever-familiar roar, and not a moment later did the massive dragon ground itself before its prey. Bessie whined and yanked at her reigns, but tied as she was she was unable to go far. The Monstrous Nightmare's slithering tongue hissed at the livestock as it crept closer, preparing to clamp its jaws around the animal and fly away.

Now was Snotlout's opportunity. He tightened his grip on his hammer, and just as the dragon was about to take its prey he pounced.

"AHHHH!"

The Nightmare barely had time to register the new noise before something hard smashed into the side of its face. The blow was so strong in fact that a few of the dragon's teeth shattered, causing the Nightmare excruciating pain. It let out a loud agonizing wail as Snotlout performed a summersault under its chin and landed a few feet away, bloody hammer in hand.

"HA! See that babe? No one's stronger than the SnotMan!"

Ruffnut rolled her eyes. Maybe if she made a sacrifice to Loki, he'd turn Snotlout inside out then roast him over a fire. That would be amusing to watch.

The Nightmare threw its head around, trying to recover from the blow and ease the pain. Finally, it spotted the miscreant human who'd attacked it and its eyes narrowed with a fiery rage. Snotlout just smirked and twirled his hammer.

"Come on big guy. Let's see what you got."

The dragon let out a seething hiss. Already it had been hurt and embarrassed; it would _not_ be beaten. The wyvern pounded its fore wings into the ground and slunk into a couched position before igniting its body and illuminating the area with bright yellow and orange flames. Snotlout, arrogant and foolish as always, smirked and laughed as he prepared to bring another trophy home. It had been _way _to long since the last time he'd taken down a Monstrous Nightmare, mostly due to the Dragon Masters interference. Tonight would be different; tonight he would prove again to his father that he was a worthy son, and worthy of being the next chief of Berk. Snotlout held his hammer in his right hand and squeezed. The Nightmare narrowed its eyes and planted itself, ready to strike. The eager young Viking raised his hammer and prepared to charge, but a sudden purple light ended his attack before it even began.

The hammer virtually exploded the moment the blast of plasma touched it. The force of the blast was so powerful that Snotlout's shoulder was ripped from its socket, and he was thrown to the ground as a numb pain began to fill his arm. The Nightmare was confused by the sudden turn of events, and even more so when a black dragon landed between it and the idiotic human.

The Night Fury let out a fierce roar, to which the Monstrous Nightmare replied. How dare the Night Fury tell him to back off, who did he think he was? The anger and annoyance that filled the wounded Nightmare quickly subsided as a new flame appeared from atop the Night Fury's back. He should have known better, but the realization of who he'd challenged hit him harder than the human's hammer and left the Nightmare feeling sheepish and anxious.

The Dragon Master pointed his flaming sword at the dragon, and the competition was over. The Nightmare extinguished its flames and regretfully bowed its head. It feared and obeyed its Queen, but all dragons had come to equally fear and respect the Human Dragon. A sudden snap of the fingers made the Nightmare raise its head. The Black Rider pointed his sword to the nearby yak, and the wyvern knew it was time to leave. Giving one last annoyed snort to the Night Fury, the Monstrous Nightmare slunk itself around and went for its prey once more. Its jaws clamped around the old yak, which quickly succumbed to death, before spreading its wings and flying off to deliver its offering. Unfortunately, a sick and malnourished yak would prove displeasing to the Queen, and the Monstrous Nightmare would not live to see another day dawn.

As the dragon flew away, the scale-cladded rider turned and looked down at the injured Viking. How ironic fate can be. Who was the weak one now he thought? Who now was the one that couldn't kill a dragon? Oh, he was strong alright, and what good did that do him now? Snotlout was an idiot, perhaps the biggest idiot in all of Berk's history, but of course _he_ was supposed to be the next chief. Leadership, charisma, wisdom; none of that mattered. Raw strength was all that was required apparently. Berk wouldn't last two years under his 'leadership', which presented an amusing possibility. Maybe after everyone had either left or died off due to the shortage of food he could move in and make the island his own. Afterall, he was _supposed_ to be chief; he was a Haddock after all, it was in his blood. He couldn't help but smile. Loki may not be with him right now, but the god's mischievous ideas had forever planted themselves in his head.

As the Night Fury flew away with its rider, Snotlout was left with a boiling rage and a gut-wrenching dread. Oh he was pissed alright, but that was simply the façade he portrayed to hide his true emotions. He still remembered that night; the night he killed the Dragon Master, yet watched him rise and fly away as blood poured from his chest. He wasn't a man, he couldn't be. He was a demon, a **real** demon…and they'd given Astrid to him. He didn't want to imagine what horrors she must have gone through, or was still going through, but it was to late now. The deed was done, and the only thing that changed was the guilt that now hung-over Berk.

He grunted as he got to his feet. His arm hurt, but it freaked him out more than he couldn't move anything. Actually, he _could_ move his fingers, but he couldn't feel them. The entire sensation was mind-boggling, but it would be short lived.

"Whoa, you got fucked up."

Tuffnut, of course, had witnessed the whole thing, and hadn't done a damn thing to help Snotlout when he needed it. No one would blame him though; only a fool would go up against the Dragon Master. Tuffnut may not be the brightest, but he knew when to stand back and not get involved. That, and now he got to make fun of Snotlout, so that was a plus.

"I don't think your arm is supposed to hang that low."

"Grr, shut up. You didn't see shit!"

Tuffnut just laughed as he helped extinguish the last flames from a building. The raid was over and the remaining few dragons were flying away. No one even tried capturing them anymore, since it would only result in more damage from the Dragon Master, and that was the _last_ thing they needed right now. Holding his arm steady, Snotlout limped his way over to Tuffnut and looked around.

"Where's Ruffnut?"

He nearly bit his own tongue in half as Tuffnut gave him a hearty 'pat' on the shoulder. Fucking dick.

"Don't worry, I'm the only one that saw you get your ass beat. Though, I guess the dragon saw it to, and the Night Fury, and the Dragon Master…so really I'm not the only one who saw it, but I don't think any of them are going to tell anyone so I'm the only one who _really_ saw it."

Snotlout didn't have a response. He was to sore and tired to even try and decipher Tuffnut's stupidity, so instead he just shoved the blond-haired Viking away and made his way toward the town center. A group of adults were putting out the last of the fires, among them was Snotlout's father. When he managed to finally turn around and see his injured son, Spitelout's paternal instincts forced themselves into action as he ran toward his son.

"SON!" He yelled just as he reached him. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Snotlout grimaced as he pulled on his disfigured shoulder. "Yeah, I'm fine." He frowned at seeing Tuffnut smirk behind him but tried to act normal. "Fucking Gronckle side-swiped me."

Realizing his son was only hurt and nothing more, Spitelout's demeaner returned to its normal state…meaning he now glared at his son with a disappointed scowl.

"I've told you a thousand times; _know you surrounds at all times_! Gods it's like you're trying to infuriate me."

"Dad I-"

"Just go find Gothi and have her patch you up. You're fixing the roof at first light. Understood?"

"…yes sir…"

There was a fine line between tough parenting and just being mean. Spitelout was known for having a short temper and a quick fuse, and had never been one to shy away from publicly demeaning his son. It was understandable though, Snotlout was an arrogant and pompous young man just like his father, so the whole thing was just a cycle that went on and on and on. It wasn't like Stoick's son. Hiccup had never been one to _make_ trouble, trouble just followed him wherever he went. He hadn't been a bad kid, just…different, and Stoick's attitude toward him hadn't helped. He'd been bound to get himself killed sooner or later, but eaten by a Night Fury? No one would have wished such a cruel fate on the boy, but no one could deny that things had gotten better for it, for a time at least. It was a horrible thing to admit, least of all his own father…but Berk had been better off with Hiccup Haddock dead.

Among the group of Vikings who'd witnessed the Jorgenson debacle was Biorn. His eyes had grown dull in the weeks following his daughters 'sacrifice', and where once he was loud and proud, now he was quiet and reserved. He couldn't help but envy Spitelout; what he would give to have an argument with Astrid again. To yell and scream and send her to her room, knowing that she would be there when he came to apologize. He would never again see her face or hear her voice. All he had was that final memory before she was taken; the look of terror in her eyes and the cry she let out before she was gone forever. But what was worst of all was that deep down he knew she was still alive, and that broke his heart more than anything. Every father wants to protect his little girl…and he'd sold his to a demon.

No one gave notice as the somber Viking moseyed away. Not many in the village talked to him or his wife much anymore, mainly because barely anyone ever saw them. They rarely left their home, save for the raids and an occasional run to the market. Biorn dragged his feet along the scorched dirt and past the smoldering buildings toward his home. As he grew near he noticed his wife cleaning up some rubble from outside their home. By means of either divine intervention or simply pure luck, the Hofferson home hadn't burn down in nearly a hundred years. It had been damaged of course; new roofing was always needed and some of the support rafting had been replaced, but the walls and foundation had remained true to its original construction.

Ursa's dull eyes rose to meet her husband. "Everyone alright?" Her voice was as empty as her gaze.

"Spitelout's boy got bruised. Other than that, everyone's fine." His own voice was distant, same as his wife's.

Ursa simply nodded her head and went back to cleaning the rubble. Biorn walked to her and helped her lift a wood beam that had broken off from a nearby home. With a firm heave they threw the wood next to a pile of other broken pieces and took a moment to rest. Ursa starred off into the void, but blinked and turned her gaze as her husband gently gripped her hand. She starred at him, unable to cry anymore. Biorn too had no tears left, only sadness and regret…and shame.

"It's almost been a month." Ursa stated flatly.

"I know." Biorn's voice as empty as his wife's.

The two of them stood, broken and hollow, thinking of all they had done wrong. Though night still engulfed the world around them, a sudden shadow briefly flew over them; enough at least for them to notice. Both solemnly looked up but saw nothing, until a sudden rumble and crack from their home had them both jumping in surprise. Biorn looked at his wife, who starred back with a confused look, before walking toward the side of the home where the sound had come from. Not a second had passed after he'd rounded the corner had he jumped back and planted his back against the rough grainy wood wall of his home, shock and fear radiating from his iris-shrunk eyes. Ursa's heart quickly leaped from her chest as she called out to her husband.

"What is it?!"

"SHHH!" He shushed her before chocking out a whispered response. "It's him!"

Now Ursa's heart dropped to her feet. Though her husbands look of fright and worry was enough to make any Viking feel the exact same way, she couldn't help herself from confirming what she already knew to be true. She quickly and quietly made her way to her husband's side, and though he begged her not to, she had to see it for herself. She peered her head around to see the side of their home, and when she saw it her face turned white.

There was no mistaking the Night Fury. Though its face and head were out of sight at the moment, the obsidian scales that clad the dragon's body were unmistakable. The dragon itself was terrifying, even worse that it was perched on the side of their home, but the most horrifying thing above it all was the fact that the dragon's head was _inside _their home, and its rider was no where to be seen. Ursa pulled back and joined her husband against the side of the wall, her eyes wide with fear and her heart beating like a drum. She didn't even notice her own body shaking until she felt a firm squeeze on her hands, and she turned to look into her husbands fear yet determined stricken eyes.

"Stay here." His voice was barely louder than his own breathing, and was on the verge of shattering in his throat.

She looked at him with pleading eyes. "G-go get Stoick, go g-get someone, please…"

Reluctantly he shook his head. "No." He swallowed hard. "Stay out of sight, and if anything happens you run."

"Biron please…"

He leaned forward and planted a firm, and perhaps final, kiss on her forehead. "I love you."

One of the reasons Ursa had fallen in love with Biorn was because of that borderline foolhardy bravery he had, but this was more than she could bear. Unsheathing his sword, one of the few left that they had after the Dragon Masters assault, Biorn Hofferson slowly made his way into his home and towards the stairs that led to his daughter's bedroom. With each methodical step his heartrate grew faster and louder in his chest, and the closer he neared his destination the tighter his grip grew on his blade. Fear flooded his mind, but rage engulfed his spirit. This bastard had the audacity not only to take his daughter _and_ destroy her axe, but now he **dared** to invade their home and defile his daughters' room! What kind of sick, twisted person could do such a thing?

One of the reasons Ursa had fallen in love with Biorn was because of

_A coward in a mask, that's who._

The world went silent the moment he reached the door. His heart beat once-twice-thrice before he readied himself to enter. A slight shift of his body caused a board beneath him to creak, and a deep breath later he burst himself into the room.

"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!"

A quickly fading flapping of wings was all that answered him. The room was empty, but not unvisited. Drawers containing clothing and fabric had been pulled out, a chest at the foot of the bed had been sifted through, and a cupboard along the wall lied open. Biorn quickly ran over to the window, only to catch a faint glimpse of black wings pass by a nearby torch before melting into the night sky. His breathing was hard, his eyes felt heavy, and his body was exhausted. He stood starring out into the night sky for a few seconds more before Ursa came rushing into the room and stopping with a loud gasp.

Biorn slowly sheathed his sword and turned to face his wife. The two of them said nothing as they surveyed the ransacked room, trying to understand what it was that had just transpired. Biorn made his way to a now empty drawn and ran a hand along the wood dresser.

"He took her clothes." His throat felt tight as he said it.

Ursa came to his side and nearly wept. "I made them…ever since she was little…she never wore anything else…"

She turned away and sat down on her daughters' bed. She was on the verge of a complete mental collapse; none of this made sense and it tore at her heart. She couldn't think straight; she didn't know how much more she could take. She was sad and pained and…and broken. Her daughter, he sweet, loving daughter Astrid, the child whom she'd birthed into this world and given away nearly without a second thought. What kind of mother was she? What kind of person could sell their own daughter to a demon?

_Apparently, she was that kind of person._

The open cupboard somehow caught her eye. It looked mainly untouched, save for the bottom which had furs and towels pulled out or moved aside. She didn't know why it seemed odd to her, until she realized what is was that use to be there. A moment of dread passed over her, but then it faded and was replaced by something else. She remembered back to the night he'd attacked what he'd done to her daughter's axe. It had been a message, one meant to leave Berk defenseless but also to reveal the consequences of their actions. Astrid was alive, though it couldn't be proven they knew, they _all _knew. That hadn't lessened the guilt, if anything it made it worse. Whatever fate had befallen Astrid at the hands of a demon had to be worse than death…right?

_So why did Ursa now know otherwise?_

Call it motherly instinct. Call it hope. Call it foolish hope, it didn't matter, she knew there was more to it. If her daughter was dead, then none of this would be happening. If she was being held as a prisoner or…worse, then none of this would be happening. He'd kept her alive, and now he was…'caring for her', did she dare go as far as say that? It defied all logic or reason, yet in her heart Ursa knew it was the truth, or at least close to it. There was no other explanation, but just like the knowledge of Astrid being alive in the first place she didn't know how to feel. Overjoyed, or horrified.

"Biorn," She called out weakly. "Astrid is-"

"Alive." He said coldly. "Alive, and in the hands of a monster who is toying with our grief."

She wanted to object, but he could be right. This could be all a trick, a way of giving them a false sense of hope for the daughter they'd sold. She didn't want to believe it, but it did make more sense, despite what her heart told her.

Biorn walked back to the window and starred out across the black horizon, heart-broken and determined. "I will find out what has happened to our daughter. I'll find out the truth if it's the last thing I do."

Xx-xX

"Oh…you made food again?"

"It's soup, you don't _have_ to eat it." Astrid said with a snarl. "I was going to go to bed anyways."

Hiccup was left with a dilemma. He could take a chance and eat, and potentially have his gut put on fire again, or he could not eat and risk breaking the truce he hadn't even officially made yet. It was one of the toughest choices of his life, but in the end his hope for a better tomorrow outweighed his concern on whether or not he'd survive the night.

"No no, I'm…thank you. I'm just not use to coming home with warm food waiting."

Astrid gave him a deadly glare. "Well **don't** get used to it. I'm not going to start making you food and washing your clothes like some kind of maid or wife!"

Hiccup help his hands up defensively. "I wasn't going to assume anything close to that. Thank you for making what you did, I know you didn't have to."

She gave him an annoyed huff and nothing more. She hadn't been able to sleep though that wasn't anything new. Hiccup's truce agreement had got her thinking about what she was going to do next. She needed to escape this island as soon as possible, but with winter practically at the doorstep and her lack of raft-building knowledge she was left with a very short window of opportunity if she wanted to leave anytime soon. She also realized there was the problem of Hiccup coming after her if she did leave, so even if she managed to build a boat and leave tomorrow she wouldn't get far. She needed to find a way to keep him from following her, at least until she made it back to Berk, and who knows how long of a trip it would be? They could be hundreds of miles from Berk for all she knew, and with nothing more than the promise of the wind taking her towards Berk she needed to prepare for a longer voyage. It had become clear to her in the late ours of the night that she may be stuck her a lot longer than she first thought, which in truth provided some opportunities but also meant she'd have to endure more of…_all this._

Astrid starred at the glowing fire while Hiccup relieved himself of his armor. She glanced over and watched as the Dragon Master was stripped away, and in its place stood Hiccup. She was still dumbfounded that they were one in the same: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, the worst Viking to ever live, and the Dragon Master, the Black Rider, the Demon on Dragon Back. It was like something out of a story; one of those bad ones where you realize early on the author has no idea what the hel it is he's writing. She gazed back into the fire before he had a chance to catch her starring and spoke with a flat tone of voice.

"Did you get what I asked for?"

Hiccup unbuckled the last strap and let the scale-clad armor fall to the floor. He shook his head wildly and combed his fingers through his hair.

"Nope, sorry, couldn't find what you were looking for."

His playful smile was met with a bitter glare. Hiccup rolled his eyes and gave her an exaggerated sigh.

"I'm kidding." He brought his thumb and index finger up to his mouth and let out a quick and defending whistle.

Not a moment latter a large black-winged reptilian burst in through the front door. Astrid nearly jumped out of her own skin at the sudden intrusion and was soon starring at a pair of large round green eyes. The dragon cocked its head and gave her a confused look before turning to Hiccup and giving a gummy smile. Hiccup just smiled and laughed at his energetic friend and placed a hand on the dragon's scaly back.

"Hey there bud. You catch that rabbit you were after?"

Toothless's ears shrunk to his head as he looked down with sad eyes. Hiccup just grinned and scratched under Toothless's chin, causing the dragon to nearly collapse on the floor in pure bliss.

"Don't worry, you'll get him nest time." He reached over and began to unbuckle some straps that were tied around the dragon. "Here, let me get this off you and then we can eat."

Astrid watched, thoroughly intrigued, as Hiccup freed the dragon of its saddle. Until now she'd never given it much though, but the saddle itself was much more complex then she'd first believed. The seat of the saddle branched out into three parts: two straps that branched off to the side and a larger round strap that wrapped around the dragon's lower neck. The two side straps lead to loops that encircled the base of the dragon's front legs, and from their it continued on further back. From the harness's around its legs, two belts parallel with each other ran along the side of the dragon's body and down the length of its tail. The straps were held taught against the dragon's body by three encircling belts: one in the middle of the spines that ran along the dragon's back, one at the end of the spines, and one right before the base of the tail fins, or, tail _fin_ to be more accurate. Only one of them was real, the other…Astrid didn't even know how to describe it, it was just astonishing. Following the straps back up the length of the dragon's side, Astrid noticed the medal petal and began to understand how the saddle functioned. Hiccup had worked in Gobber's shop for many years, but she never thought he really _did_ much anyways. Then again, she did remember once stumbling upon his collection of blueprints and designs, and add to what she had seen out by his own 'workshop'…maybe he really was a lot smarter than she gave him credit for.

Astrid snapped out of her daze just before the black sack hit her face. She caught it, just barely, and looked over at Hiccup who stood next to his now de-saddled dragon, which was looking at her quite peculiarly.

"Everything you requested, mi'lady." She hated it when he called her that. "Three pairs of clothes, your boots and your…other personal belongings."

She eyed him for a moment before taking a peek inside the sack. She let out a relieved breath and felt weight of anxiety leave her shoulders. Hiccup had held up his part of the deal, now, she had to keep up her end. He didn't wait long to affirm it either.

"So…We're good right?" There was a hint of plea in his voice.

Astrid looked at him, then to his dragon, then back to him. She nodded. "For now."

His tense muscles relaxed as he formed a half-smile. Typical Astrid, never fully satisfied even when she is. It was a start, and an end to a dark beginning they'd had these past few weeks. He suddenly felt very tired, and the warm embrace of sleep was calling to him. Hiccup let out a big yawn before addressing her for the night.

"Well, it's late and I think we both deserve some rest." Toothless had already begun walking away toward the bedroom. "I'll uh, see you tomorrow."

Just as he was about to walk away, the thing he'd been dreading stopped him.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?"

Hiccup bit his tongue, but forced out a smile.

"Oh, um…sure."

Astrid watched him, conflicted on how she should feel. Should she feel offended that he feared her cooking, or glad she could use it against him. She half-frowned-half-smirked when she noticed him cringe at the first bite, but couldn't help but feel gleeful at watching his vain attempts to appear appreciative. He just had bad tastes, that's all there was to it. She knew her food was good, and if he didn't want to eat it then so be it. Watching him suffer however was quite enjoyable.

Hiccup wanted to die. How in the nine worlds does someone fuck up soup?! It was baffling, and he hurt, and now he _really_ wanted to go to bed. One day he'd have to teach her how to make food properly, else he may not survive long if she began to cook more. He prayed they would be few and far between, but given that they just formed a truce it seemed like he just wrote his own death sentence. Who knows, maybe Astrid was destined to be the one to finally keep him down for good.

She barely even noticed him leave, to transfixed on her position and what to do next. Hiccup was still the enemy, that would never change, and it was her responsibility to bring him down. Tomorrow she could begin working out a means of escape, perhaps probe him for more information and find out how far away Berk was. So much had happened already and there was so much more to do, but the more she thought about what she _needed_ to do, the more the thoughts of what she _wanted_ to do crept into the back of her mind. She needed to leave and warn Berk of the truth, but did she really want to? Afterall, her own parents offered her up as a sacrifice to a demon, why would she want to go back? She still hadn't begun to process that part yet, and even brief surface thoughts brought tears to her eyes. Not tonight she told herself, that was something she needed to deal with later, after she'd had time to settle down and really just…think.

Tomorrow was a new day. Hopefully it would be better than the last.

Xx-xX

* * *

Sorry if my attempts at comedy are dry, I don't think I'm very good at it ^^;


	14. Friends

This took **FOREVER** to write but I finally did it. Sorry for the long wait but school finals, the holidays, and of course video games took up a lot of my time. I'll try to start doing better but I promise I'm not abandoning this story not by a long shot.

Anyways, happy new years and thanks for reading!

* * *

"HICCUP! Get this **thing** off of me!"

"He just wants you to scratch him."

"I don't care what it wants!"

"Then I guess you're going to be stuck there for a while."

Astrid was freaking out. She'd barely let out her first morning yawn before a massive black blob waltzed its way over to her and planting its warm scaly body atop her own. The dragon had given her no warning, and while having a dragon on top of her was enough to soil the trousers of any Viking, what scarred her the most were the two large eyes that were mere inches from her own.

She kept darting her gaze back and forth between the two evil creatures. Hiccup, the bastard that he was, just laughed and offered her no help despite her very real and very angry pleas. It didn't help that the dragon was virtually motionless save for the slow deep breaths it took, and the hard _thump-thump _of its heart. Never had she been this close to a live dragon, not one she wasn't trying to kill at least, and her whole body was in pure panic mode.

"He just wants to be friends with you."

"Well I **DON'T **want to be 'friends' with it, now get. it. OFF!"

A low whimper had her shooting her eyes back at the dragon. Its face had changed; where before it looked content and had its ear fins raised, now its expression had dropped and it looked…sad? Astrid watched, a bit taken back, as the dragon slowly got off her and moved away, its head and ears hanging low. She instinctually felt her gut turn in on itself, and though she didn't _want_ to feel bad, she did, and she hated herself for it. What was worse was that she could feel Hiccups glare like a burn on her skin.

"Wow Astrid. Way to crush his spirits." There was a clear bitterness in his voice. It made her feel even worse.

She shot him a frustrated scowl. "That _**thing**_ is a killing machine! I don't ever want it that close to me again, **ever!**"

The two of them stayed locked eye-to-eye for what felt like forever. Both were upset with the other, Hiccup much more so than he let on, but he kept his composure. It was day three of their truce, and as much as he wanted to chastise Astrid right now, he knew doing so would most likely destroy any further chances of the two getting along. That didn't stop him from showing his discontent however, as Toothless was the most important thing in his life, more so than any hopeless future he might think he'd have with Astrid, friend or otherwise.

The low and whinny whimpering she heard forced her attention back to the dragon. Astrid watched, somewhat gut-wrenched, as the dragon slunk over to Hiccup. Hiccup never took his eyes off Astrid as the dragon nudged its rider and proceeded to rest its hung head against Hiccup's side. Finally Hiccup broke his scornful gaze and leaned into his friends embrace, giving a comforting stroke along Toothless's side and speaking in a soft and caring voice.

"Go ahead and wait outside. I'll be there in a minute and then we can go."

The dragon woefully cooed once more before turning and making its way out the front door. It never looked back as her, and though she felt more relieved the farther it got, she also felt more guilty. Hiccup's returning glare didn't help either.

"His name is Toothless," She listened to his spiteful voice as she starred at the ground. "and in case you haven't noticed, he's top dragon around here, _literally._"

He reached over and grabbed his mask. He always wore it whenever he left, and every time she saw him put it on she was reminded of who he really was. At this point she didn't know what she feared more: him, his dragon, or the man behind the mask she'd once known.

Hiccup turned and began to leave, but stopped just before reaching the door and turned back.

"A dragon just tried to be your friend. Think about what you just threw away."

Whether she glared at him or looked shocked he didn't know or cared, he just left without another word. In truth Astrid was a bit shocked, but perhaps for a slightly different reason. It wasn't the fact that she just 'threw away' a 'friendship' with a dragon, but that the notion of it was even possible. Friends? With a dragon? It was stupefying! The mere idea that a beast of death and destruction could have any semblance of kindness or 'friendship' was frankly nonsensical…and yet, a small part of her knew that it just might be possible, at least with Hiccup involved that is. The more likely answer was that he knew some sort of magic that made the beast tame, or at least listen to his commands. That had to be it, right?

The sudden sound of rushing wind brought her out of her thoughts, and before too long the flapping of wings died out and she was left in silence once again. This had been the general routine; Hiccup would get up, usually around the late morning to mid-afternoon, and go 'flying' for an hour or two before coming back home. Whether she realized it or not Astrid slowly began to adapt to the same schedule of sleeping in and staying up late. Part of the reason was that she didn't want to be asleep while he was awake, partly out of fear and partly because she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could. Perhaps 'spend time' wasn't the right phrase; 'learn all she could about him so she could better learn how to stop him' was more what she was thinking. She still had so much doubt and uncertainty about everything that had happened, but she buried those feelings down and focused on what she knew she needed to do. Hiccup would be gone now for a while; best get to work.

Xx-Xx

Neither had spoken a word since they'd left. They were both upset; not at each other but at _her_, the thick-headed, yak-faced, dragon murder-loving Viking they'd mistakenly brought to live with them. She _infuriated_ Hiccup to no end, but Toothless…right now he was just depressed. All he'd wanted was to be her friend; to help Hiccup show her that not all dragons were evil. Toothless wasn't evil, not anymore at least…he hoped. He wasn't the same dragon he'd once been; he wasn't…he wasn't _hers _to control anymore. Once, he had been his former Queen's Enforcer; a dragon tasked with keeping the other dragons in line and striking terror into the hearts of humans. That was why he never had to take any of the human's livestock; his job was to make sure the others acquired the food, and if any human tried to impede their raiding Toothless would made short work of them. Likewise, if any dragon failed or refused to give their Queen her rightful pay, he would make short work of them as well. He'd been very good at it, Hel, he'd enjoyed every waking minute of it; the fear, the power, the destruction! The humans had been right to call him the offspring of lightning and death. That was who he had been.

_But not anymore._

Toothless felt his rider's muscles relax as Hiccup let out a sigh. "Well, that didn't work out how I thought it would."

He just grumbled to himself and kept flying.

"I know you're upset and I'm sorry. I thought if you were just direct with her she'd warm up to you quicker. Should have known it wasn't going to work."

Toothless snorted and just kept gliding along. He wasn't upset with Hiccup, just annoyed with the whole situation. That female human had been nothing but trouble from day one, and his rider's persistence to try and change her ways of thinking bewildered him. She'd made it clear how she felt; why waste time and energy on pointless banter?

_Humans. What was a dragon to do?_

"Let's just try things even slower from now on. We'll let her warmup to you in her own time, she has to. Even someone as stubborn as Astrid can't ignore the truth in front of her forever."

He let out a snickered huff. Hiccup's optimism knew no bounds, even if it went against things that could and should never be. Perhaps that was why they were friends now. Before Hiccup, Toothless cared nothing for the humans, save the fear they emitted whenever he made his presence to them known. He was certain that would still be the case today had that fateful night never occurred.

He could still recall it; the instant, striking pain of his flight being ripped from him. He'd known the moment it had happened that he was as good as dead. A dragon that could not fly was a dead dragon, and as he had laid bound in the forest of Berk that night, he'd come to accept that fact and simply waited for death to take him. One could only imagine the surprise he must have gone through the next morning at seeing the scrawny young Viking standing over him, and the pure shock he'd gone through once the boy had started to free him. He should have killed the boy regardless, in any other situation he would have without a second thought, but something had changed in him. Even after having left the young Viking nearly dead from fright and getting trapped in the forest cove, a fundamental change in the way Toothless viewed his surrounding began to take shape within him. Maybe the loss of his flight had done it, or maybe he'd just been gone for too long. Whatever had caused it, Toothless had become deaf to the commanding voice of his Queen, and for the first time in his life he'd truly felt alone and lost. The emptiness in his head and the quietness of the world around him had left Toothless feeling scarred and hopeless, and it would have been the death of him had the small human boy not returned. From there things had changed drastically for Toothless. No longer having his every action commanded to him, Toothless had been free to think for himself for once, and his curiosity for the young Viking had taken up much of his then freed thoughts. Before he'd only views humans as little more than vermin; parasites that proved to be a great annoyance to his Queen and her insatiable hunger. He never believed they could prove to be more than just hairy brutes, but his newfound freedom of thought and Hiccup's foolhardy determination opened his eyes to a word he never thought possible. All that alone would have been enough, but then, the most extraordinary thing happened. Toothless had accepted that he would no longer fly, and while normally a death sentence, he'd been content with living on so long as Hiccup was around to keep him happy. That had all changed the minute he'd felt the leather fin getting strapped to his tail. In that singular moment a bond was formed, a bond that went deeper than any friendship could. The moment Toothless had been able to fly again had been the moment he knew that Hiccup was something he was willing to give everything to protect, even his own life.

It had been rough at first of course. That were a lot of failed attempts that had made him doubt his hope of flight, but each failure had only proved to drive the young Viking to keep working and improving. The day of their first real flight had been one Toothless would never forget. All he'd thought about the whole time had been how grateful and indebted he was to Hiccup for all he had done for him. The Viking that had shot him down and stripped his flight from him had also given that flight back and freed him from his Queen's control. Hiccup had given him more that juts the ability to fly again, he'd given him his own individuality; his own sense of being and purpose. He was his own dragon that thought and acted for himself, and all he'd been able to think of from that day since was how he'd do anything to keep _his_ human safe.

_Anything._

"Let's go land by those rocks down there. You can catch us some fish while I make a quick fire to roast them."

Toothless was shook from his thoughts once again. He didn't daydream a lot, but when he did it always reminded him about how lucky he truly was. He gave Hiccup a cheerful chirp before descending down to the rocks below. He only wished that one day he could tell his friend how he truly felt in a way he would fully understand. Until then, fresh fish sounded amazing.

Xx-xX

"I swear I saw something here before…there!"

Searching once again through Hiccup's extensive collection of books, Astrid found exactly what she'd been looking for. _Ship building for idiots _by_Flóki Vilgerðarson_, an odd title for a book that turned out to be anything but what its name implied. There were pages and pages of text, the first ten or so talking about different types of wood and how each one reacted differently to being cut and formed and how well each did when in the water for prolonged periods of time. There was way more to the book than she'd anticipated, and far too much useless knowledge that she'd have to pour through to find the answers she was looking for. Luckily there were a few diagrams scattered throughout the pages, but they were few and far between and really only showed how a boat _should_ look like, now _how_ to get it to that point.

Things could never just be easy, could they?

She put the book back in its place and left it there. She didn't want Hiccup getting suspicious of her if he noticed it had been taken. She had to be smart about everything she did and always stay two steps ahead of him, else she'd never get off this island short of jumping off a cliff and swimming as far as she could. For now, at least, she was content with having a knowledge base to work off of, and she decided to take a walk to clear her head. She had a goal and a means of achieving it now…but the events of the morning, er, afternoon still pulled at the back of her mind.

Friends with a dragon. Had Ragnarök come already? Honestly, she was having the toughest time wrapping her head around it, but why? She knew the truth; she knew what was real and what was pure make-believe. Dragons had some semblance of intelligence, no one would argue that, but to think that they could 'feel' anything beyond pure, ravenous instinct was just nonsensical…wasn't it? Friendship was a Viking thing, a _human_ thing. Animals could be trained, yes, but they were still just animals, dragons included. Whatever 'friendship' Hiccup had with his 'pet' was nothing more than sum of unholy conditioning, it had to be…right?

The more she thought about it the more confused she became. Every day more and more questions flooded her mind, and she began to realize there was only one person who could answer them. It was a conundrum she was stuck in. She wanted nothing to do with Hiccup or his dragon, yet she was forced to rely on them for almost everything. Her initial anger and depression about her situation had begun to vanish completely, and with Freya as her protector and guide well, what really did she have to fear? She had an opportunity like no other to end the dragon menace once and for all. It was time to set her personal feelings about Hiccup aside and focus on what needed to be done.

_Crack_

Astrid stopped. She looked around, realizing she'd walked away from the house and into the nearby forest. She had a knack for getting lost in her own thoughts and not realizing where she was going or what she was doing. The trees around her were thick and spread far from one another, but the late afternoons light still shined down on her. She'd lost track of time and wasn't sure how long it'd been since she'd left, but she didn't want to be gone when Hiccup returned.

_Crack_

There it was again, and only now did she realize how quiet it seemed to be…to quiet. Part of her Viking instincts took hold, but without any sort of weapon or defense there was little she could do to prepare herself. She scanned the forest around her, seeing little more than green foliage and dark-wooded trees. Her eyes grazed over a shadowy patch, but at the last second she caught something move from there out of the corner of her eye. She starred back at the blackened spot and soon spotted two orbs with black slits starring back at her. Her heart froze for a moment before she heard an all-to-familiar sound come from creature before her, and in an instant she jumped and ducked behind a nearby tree trunk.

The razor-sharp spikes missed her, but just barely. Astrid began to breath heavy as the creature let out a fierce shriek and shot another set of spikes in her direction, some even piercing through the depth of the tree she hid behind and coming dangerously close to her own body. She took a second to breath before making a quick dash and running as fast as she could back toward Hiccup's cottage. As she ran more spikes were shot at her, some coming within mere inches of impaling her through the leg or chest. She didn't look back, but she heard every branch that broke and felt the ground vibrate with each step that the creature took as it grew closer and closer to her. Her lungs began to hurt the faster and harder she ran, but soon a sense of relief filled her as she cleared the forest's edge of caught sight of the wooden home just barely a hundred meters away.

The final sprint, however, was short lived. She'd barely taken three steps from out of the forest's edge before her foot got caught on a rouge root, and she ended up falling face first into the grass. Astrid raised her head and spit out a lump of dirt she'd involuntarily almost swallowed, but before she could get up and start running again a large shadow suddenly enveloped her body. She rolled onto her back and looked up with shrunken pupils at the imposing beast before her, and the terrible gut feeling she'd had finally turned into a reality.

_A dragon, and one that she knew._

The scars had given it away almost instantly. Scars may have been too early of a word to use, as the deep stab wounds that filled the underbelly of the Deadly Nadder were still bright red and had barely closed in on themselves. One of the wounds must have ripped open as there was fresh blood streaming down the dragon's chest and underside, but the gore that covered the beast paled in comparison to its intent, soul-piercing gaze.

Astrid remained frozen in place. Not by fear, though that was a factor of it, but by something else. The dragon was going to kill her, there was no doubt about that, but what filled Astrid's mind in those few silent seconds was _why_ it was going to kill her. The pure-blooded Viking in her believed that it was simply in a dragon's nature to kill; it was what _their kind _did, and nothing could be done to change it. That part of her would normally win in a debacle like this, but another part of her believed something different. Whether she knew of or acknowledged this other part of her was a question for another time; what mattered was that a part of her had changed since she'd been brought to this island…since she'd met Hiccup again. Who he was, what he was, and what he stood for changed her perception of things, of _everything_, even if she didn't realize it yet. When she looked at the dragon above her, she knew its intent for murder wasn't an instinctual thing, it was vengeance. Revenge for what she'd done to it, a creature who'd done no wrong to her and had only been curious, only to be attacked and brought to the brink of death by its own spikes. In a moment of unconscious realization Astrid knew that she was to blame for the dragon's actions and thirst for blood, and her imminent death. How ironic fate could be, and how swift it's judgment could come.

Astrid shook from her repressed thoughts as the dragon let out a deep rumble and slowly brought its face down closer toward her. Naturally her chest felt ready to explode due to how fast her heart raced, but as anxious as she was she couldn't help but notice…something. As its yellow, murderous, feral eyes bore down onto her, she felt a tugging in her chest; an unheard voice calling for her to reach out and touch the beast to feel its pain and sadness that it harbored. She would deny to herself that she would have done it, even as her trembling fingers rose from their spot in the dirt. She'd never get the chance to go through with it or stop herself midway, as the sound-piercing shriek of a Night Fury caught both dragon and Viking off-guard.

Things happened almost to quickly for Astrid to witness. The Deadly Nadder rose its head and flailed its wings in an aggressive manner, but a light plasma blast to the face sent it stumbling back a few feet from where Astrid lay. Free of the Nadders imposing presence, she was quickly enveloped in a new, darker shadow, though one she was strangely glad to be trapped under. The great black dragon positioned itself between Astrid and the Deadly Nadder, and for a brief moment she saw Toothless in a new light, literally. He stood there: tall, proud, mightier than all other dragons, and it was in that moment that a glimmer of respect formed, perhaps even…trust. The sudden appearance of Hiccup however reminded her of all the things she hated, _him_ above all else. He hopped off of Toothless and looked down at her, concern emanating from his eyes that were all but hidden from behind his mask.

_That damned mask._

"Astrid! Are you okay?!" His voice seemed to almost be shaking. She wondered who's heart was beating faster.

"I'm fine." She responded coldly as she got to her feet and cleaned off the dirt from her legs. "Not like I didn't just almost get **murdered **by a dragon or anything."

She didn't realize how much of a relief her sarcasm was to Hiccup's ears. He thanked Odin she was alive still; if he'd lost her now…it didn't matter, she was safe. He turned his attention to back toward the Nadder, who was engaged in a heated yelling match with Toothless. Neither dragon showed any signs of backing down, but Hiccup knew he needed to end things before any of them got hurt, or killed. Igniting his blade, Hiccup stepped forward and held the flaming sword toward the Deadly Nadder, more in a form of intimidation that any real aggression.

"Go. Leave and heal your wounds away from this place, and do **not** come back." His voice carried an authority Astrid had not heard before. No wonder the dragons listened to him; he didn't just talk to them, he _commanded_ them.

Toothless let out a final warning roar to the Nadder, telling it to leave or offer up a challenge if it so dared. Outnumbered and in pain from its reopened wounds, the Deadly Nadder curled its wings in and let its spiked tail drop. This wasn't a fight it would be able to win, but that didn't change its feelings toward the human female that had caused it so much pain. The Nadder gave one last deathly stare into Astrid's soul before turning and making its way back into the forest, small drops of blood forming a trail as it vanished into the shadows. Though now gone, the presence of the Nadder still lingered over Astrid, as she knew the dragon would not be so easily dissuaded from obtaining its revenge. It knew where she was and where she would be, it was only a matter of time before it returned to finish what Astrid had started.

Confident that the Nadder was gone for now Toothless relaxed himself and looked over at his rider. Hiccup retracted his blade, the Monstrous Nightmare saliva fueled flames quickly extinguishing before he fastened the sword's hilt to his side. He let out a slow deep breath as he removed his helmet and ran a hand through his auburn hair before looking over and giving Toothless a relieved smile.

"Well, that went better than I thought it would."

Toothless cooed at him. Hiccup smiled a bit more before looking back and starring at Astrid who stood with her arms wrapped around her torso and staring blankly into the forest. Her eyes shifted over and met Hiccup's, and as soon as their eyes locked her expression changed to a much more familiar 'Astrid-like' look. She gave him a half glare that had no real weight behind it, so in return all Hiccup could do was roll his eyes and sigh.

"You're welcome." He scoffed sarcastically before shifting his tone to be more serious. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I said I'm fine." She said dismissively. She didn't want to admit that she was actually thankful…not to him at least.

Hiccup rolled his eyes again. He already knew it was pointless to try and get anything more out of her; he could ask her later what had led up to the dragon attack. He knew, obviously, that she had started it, and that she wouldn't have been in the situation she'd been in if she'd just stop provoking dragons and started treating them with the respect they deserved. That was a pointless endeavor as well, but one could always hope right? Afterall, hope was the only thing that drove him to do what he did. Without hope for a better future, what was the point in doing…anything?

_A question for another time._

Hiccup looked back over at Toothless who starred back with a confused expression. He shrugged, and motioned for Toothless to follow as he started to make his way back toward his home.

"Come on bud, let's get some more work done on your saddle before we head out tonight."

Barking in agreement, Toothless began following Hiccup back toward the house, but stopped momentarily to gaze at Astrid. She was starring at him, her eyes showing a mix of unease and doubt, but also something more, he couldn't tell what. His ears flattened against his head as he recalled the early afternoon events, and a blunt pain filled him as he remembered her distrust and distain at his presence. He wasn't a bad dragon; he was a good dragon…wasn't he?

He darted his eyes away and slunk past her to get to Hiccup. Astrid continued to watch the dragon as it neared its riders' side, both seemingly just leaving her where she stood without another word. She knew what she wanted to say to him but didn't have the courage to do so, and she knew what she wanted to say to _him_ but loathed the idea entirely. She probably would have stood there until they were gone and regret not saying anything, but a certain guide of hers helped push her insecurities to the side.

"Toothless…"

Both man and beast stopped dead in their tracks. They both turned their heads almost a full one-eighty degrees and starred at Astrid. Was Hiccup going crazy, or did Astrid just call Toothless by his name? He looked at her, the normally proud and stoic Viking, and knew something was different, though what he had no idea. Neither he or Toothless made a sound as they watched Astrid take a few steps forward toward Toothless, her arms still wrapped around her and her gaze lowered, but there was no mistaking that she'd called for him. Finally she stopped and looked up, her and Toothless's eyes meeting each other once again, only this time Toothless could see more behind what was going on. A strange silence lasted for but a moment before Astrid spoke again, and though her words were her own, they were aided by a mutual friend.

"Thank you…for saving my life."

Toothless starred at her, then to Freya who stood behind the young Viking. She simply smiled at him, allowing him a moment to digest Astrid's words before giving a slight nod to him. Toothless returned his gaze to Astrid, who obviously looked somewhat uncomfortable, and thought of what to do next. A part of him wanted to show her his bug gummy smile and lick her face in joy, but he knew such action would null what had just transpired. Instead, he decided to do something that would show her his gratitude for her kind words, and his respect for her and her boundaries. Standing tall and proud, Toothless slowly and graciously bowed his head before Astrid and quickly rose it again, glad to see that his behavior had produced a smile upon her face.

As the two of them formed a mutual bond, Hiccup stood on the sidelines dumbfounded and lost in the void of his own thoughts. What in the Nine Realms of existence did he just witness? He was dreaming right, or perhaps this was one of Loki's illusions; he knew it wasn't either. He didn't know what to say, what to think, how to feel, he just…he didn't know, and it both excited and terrified him. This was _real_, this was really happening, so why did he feel so conflicted about it? He should be ecstatic; overjoyed at the shining glimmer of hope he'd been searching and longing for these past almost four years. Here was proof in front of him that change was possible!

So why didn't it sit right with him?

He knew Astrid, more than he'd like to admit. The years may have made her older, but she was still the same Astrid he'd known as a boy. She was a fighter, a killer. She was a proud Viking warrior who took great joy and pleasure in killing dragons, and it was very unlikely that things would ever change. He could be wrong of course, as this recent display seemed to prove, but he remained skeptical, and for good reason. He'd given her blind hope once before; he wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

He felt an intense heat on him and blinked free of his daze. They were both starring at him, well Toothless was at least. Astrid on the other hand was, as usual, giving him the death glare, which oddly enough made him feel a bit better, if only for his own sanity's sake. Hiccup took a hard swallow and was about to speak, but Astrid beat him to it.

"One word and I'm throwing you off a cliff."

And with that she stormed off toward the house, leaving a bewildered Hiccup and curious Toothless behind. A few seconds went by before Hiccup finally relaxed and let a tired smirk cross his face. He turned to Toothless, who looked back at his rider with a knowing look, and gave him a warm smile.

"Well bud, looks like you made a new friend today."

Xx-xX


End file.
